See me no Curse!
by z.a. franks
Summary: Tohru hears out the continuation of the Jyunishii curse, the reason behind the reverse of the curse... and what price she should pay for hearing it. YUKIRU COMPLETE
1. Care for Tohru

See me no Curse!!!! By: Z.A. Franks  
  
Ok. You know the drill. I won't and never own the Furuba Characters. I haven't even watched the whole story (but I got a glimpse on the last ep. It's so cute but I like Yuki-Tohru than Kyou-Tohru..now where was I..). I'm still stuck in the Ayame scene (and Yuki didn't like him being around I guess..). This fic happen after Tohru met Akito for the first time. and Yuki was even terrified to see him (you know. in the school). Not to mention the "friendly" attitude of Akito. Well here it is. Have fun!!!!!!  
  
- - Oh by the way, all the current characters that Tohru met are in Shigure's house (except her friends in school)- - - - - - - -  
  
  
  
"Darn, I'm so hungry.." Kyou said as he opened the refrigirator. Ta-da! No food.  
  
"Tohru-chan went out to buy some food. I told Yuki to help her out." Shigure said while while he thought about the next few words he's going to write. "Now, where was I?"  
  
Kyou began to feel different after Shigure said those words. "Yuki will help her out." Well, sure, Yuki was the only one that could care for Tohru that much. but why is he feeling this way? It's true that his only goal was to beat the forever popular Yuki, the highschool prince, the one that everyone can count on, the one who was cursed as a mouse that tricked the cat in the Jyunishi story. That was his main goal. his only goal. so that he can be "accepted" as a part of the Sohma. that is until Tohru came along.  
  
He sat at the roof, staring at the lovely sky blue horizon along with a gust of wind, good enough to keep him cool and warm through the sun. He thought quite differently today. To be specific, he thought about Tohru, about the way she acts so dumb and innocent at the same time. A defenseless but simple young woman whose words touch the lives of others. The one who cheers up people as well as herself at times of trouble. Never he had met such person.  
  
"Gomenasai, Honda-san" He heard his rival say such words near the doorstep of Shi-chan's house. "I should be helping you in carrying the groceries. If it wasn't those Yuki fan club-"  
  
"Don't worry, I'm fine with this. It's good that nobody noticed Sohma-kun transform after I tripped on him." Tohru said with a smile. "As long as Sohma-kun's secret is kept, I will try to protect you in THAT form"  
  
Yuki blushed lightly when he heard that. "Honda-san, you shouldn't treat me like a defenseless creature. I'm comfortable walking with you.. Not carrying me as well."  
  
"Those two are really pissing me off." Kyou said as his fists tighten. "That Yuki thinks that they're so close with each other. Well I'll show them." He climbed down the house and stared at Tohru with his wide orange eyes.  
  
"Kyou-kun! Ohayo-"  
  
"You stupid rat, you just left her do all the carrying!" Kyou said out loud in front of Yuki. This made Yuki furious and Kyou sees it. "So, you want to battle. while you are in that form? Hah! I don't have to do anything. I'll just position you on that floor and I'll squash you're tiny brain!"  
  
"It's okay, Kyou-kun. I'm fine. It usually happens this way but-"  
  
"It shouldn't happen this way, you silly girl. If you keep letting him do this, you'll have all the burden in this house and I won't let that happen- "  
  
Silence. Kyou felt his heart thumping really hard.  
  
What is this feeling?  
  
Why is he feeling this way?  
  
He looked at Tohru. He could see that she was thinking about what he said.  
  
  
  
I won't let that happen...  
  
He stared to back out and left out of their sight.  
  
"Kyou-kun!" Tohru called out but he didn't turned around. I won't let that happen, he said. She knew that Kyou has a rough attitude about getting along with others but she believed that it isn't true because what he said today was the living proof.  
  
"Ahh, Tohru-chan, you already bought the food. Now, I'm really inspired because my stomach is getting happy today." he smiled happily while making a slurping sound.  
  
"Hai. I'll get the breakfast ready even though it's already 10:00 in the morning." Tohru said. While she was fixing the ingredients, she still thought about Kyou said  
  
I won't let that happen...  
  
She smiled happily and was more inspired in her cooking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So how was it? Very short, right? I'm just having a writer's block right now so I'll continue next time. Please R&R!!!! 


	2. Yuki's 'cure' from curse

Chapter 2  
  
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Okay. This is the part that I like. Yuki and Tohru type. No harsh feelings for Kyou fans. Again, I don't own Furuba. (but soon will be.hehehe..joke only.). Okay, on with the story.  
  
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"Where's Kyou-kun?" Tohru asked as she and Yuki were ready to leave. Yuki stared at her as he began to think. 'what is she thinking? We are ready to go and she still worries about that guy?'  
  
"Um. baka-neko can reach school alone. You can wait for him if you want. I just need to go and do my-" Yuki began but Tohru cut through.  
  
"No,no,no. I'm coming with you. I." Tohru glanced at Shi-chan's house (and also hears Shigure talking with his editor on the phone ^_^). There was no sign of Kyou on the roof. She hasn't seen him all day ever since he said those words to her. Ever since she felt that Kyou cared for her that much. She knew that there is something in him but he is afraid to let anyone see it.  
  
Her mind was overexposed by these thoughts that she almost lost her balance. Yuki placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to "wake" her up. "Are you alright, Honda-san?"  
  
She stopped at her tracks and opened her eyes wide enough to focus herself. She quickly tried to act normally again. " What? Y-You were asking?"  
  
Yuki sighed loudly, knowing that she was not focused. He now tried to know what it is. "Is there anything that I can do in your problem, Honda-san? If you need anything at all, I'll try my best to share my time with you even if it will take away my position in school."  
  
"No. I was just thinking about something. I-It's not a problem really." Tohru said while smiling innocently to her "prince". Yuki didn't completely believed her. He knew that she was thinking of.. that stupid cat, the outsider of both the Sohma clan and the Jyunishi, for his curse was something everyone disgusts about. But he doesn't understand why Tohru "admire" him so much. It's just. not right..  
  
"Sohma-kun, we might be late. Let's hurry!" Tohru said as she hurried out of the forest, not knowing that there's a pit nearby. Yuki knew that and tried to warn her. "Honda-san, be careful! There's a pit nearby-"  
  
But it was too late. Recklessly, Torhu was on the edge of the pit and for a second, she recognized how deep the pit was. It was about 5-7 feet and at the bottom there were few sharp rocks. She got scared for a moment and had enough time to scream for help. But Yuki didn't made it. Tohru fell down to the pit which worried Yuki more.  
  
He ran to the edge of the pit and saw her lying unconsciously to the ground. She had a slight scratch on the forehead and there was no movement. Yuki wasted no time; He hurriedly made his way down to get her, trying to keep his balance because in case he would fell, he can't help Tohru in his cursed form. That darn cat might also tell those annoying words again to him. He doesn't want to be helpless like he used to be. He wanted to help her, to do his part as his friend.  
  
But these thoughts disturbed him. He lost his balance and fell above Tohru. It was a light fall but still, he could feel Tohru's body next to his. 'This is it, I can't help her. I wanted to but I can't I'm. sorry, Honda- san. I just wish I can help you as a friend. as somebody you can depend on.' he said to himself as he waited for him to transform.  
  
....5 seconds has passed...  
  
Wait a minute. How come he isn't transforming?  
  
He checked at himself again. 'I am Sohma Yuki and my whole life was cursed. never he had huggled a foreign opposite sex for he will transform into a rat.'  
  
....20 seconds has passed...  
  
He sat up straight and wondered. 'Is this a dream? I'm not transforming. why?' Then he came into his senses and saw Tohru still lying there helplessly. He quickly carried her in his arms and brought her to school.  
  
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It was nearly break time and Yuki was sitting next to Tohru, who was lying on the clinic bed. The nurse said that she'll be okay but he wasn't feeling okay. He doesn't know whay to believe. He actually carried Tohru all the way to school. w/o transforming. why is this?  
  
"Oe." Uo-chan appeared behind him with Hana-chan. As usual, Hana-chan felt a weird 'wave' near her. She stared at Yuki, which gave him the chills.  
  
"Even though I sense something in you along with the other Sohmas, I can sense that you had a special wave with Tohru-kun" Hana said with a blank stare. Yuki slightly blushed but invisibly.  
  
"What she's trying to say is that we would like to thank you for what you have done to Tohru. Not even that Kyou would do the same as you did" Uo- chan laughed hysterically. Yuki smiled a bit, knowing that somehow he had beaten Kyou again. The tug of war had started again and now, he's about an inch closer to the prize: Tohru herself.  
  
"Well we have to go. Tell Tohru be careful next time, okay? Chow!" Uo-chan said as she closed the door. "Thank you, Uo-chan"  
  
"Ne? What do you mean, Hana-chan?"  
  
"At first, I would like to stay and take care of Tohru. But suddenly I felt that the atmosphere began to disrupt my wave signal, forcing me to go to an open space."  
  
"Then what does that mean."  
  
Hanajima stared at the grayish skies, a visible sign of wet weather. "Doubt. I felt doubt in the atmosphere."  
  
"Hmm." Uotani smiled a bit. "That's why Tohru and I like you, Hanajima."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- Hehehe. So that's the end of Chapter 2 which is basically Yuki's chapter. I don't really have the real reason why this happened to him but hey, it was a wonderful feeling for Yuki. He could get "close" to Tohru. Oh my god, I'm becoming a hentai. Don't worry, this won't be a hentai. They may know how innocent Tohru is but they won't dare to hurt her. Please R&R!!!! ^_^  
  
PS. All hail, prince Yuki! ( 


	3. Another cure?

Chapter 3  
  
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Oky, this is the third part. Now, this is about Kyou. I don't admire Kyou that much (I'm a Yuki fan ^_^) so if you Yuki fans out there thought that my disapproval to Kyou made this fic really long guess what? I JUST GOT CURED FROM WRITER'S BLOCK! So Spare me. (my statement a while ago is quite awkward, don't you think?) Anyways, let's just go on with the story.  
  
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After that sort of fall in the pit, and also after Tohru awakened during lunchtime, she miraculously earned nothing but a scratch on her forehead. But, Yuki was still worried about her. Even though he tried not to and Tohru tried to encourage him that she's okay, Yuki felt that something's wrong. But he was relieved that Tohru wasn't awake at that time, or else, she might get worried why Yuki didn't transform.  
  
The nurse asked Tohru to take a rest because the scratch on the forehead might lead to another signs. Tohru understood and asked Yuki if he could write down what they did while she's on the clinic. Yuki agreed.  
  
Then.... It was dismissal.  
  
Momiji asked Tohru's friends of they could play badminton again. They agreed but somehow they lack players.  
  
"Where's Kyou-kun?" Uotani asked. "I haven't seen him all day." But somehow, nobody manages to answer that question.  
  
"It's okay like this. Kyou-kun might hurt me again if hit him again in this game." Momiji answered back. He was really eager to play but suddenly, he noticed that Hatsuharu dropped his racket. "Haru-kun, you just let go of your racket. Pick it up and we'll play!"  
  
"I'm going to find Kyou.."  
  
"What? Haru-kun, please don't find him. If you do, I'll get squished again. Please don't-" Momiji began but stopped as soon as he saw Hatsuharu's "black" figure beside him. He began to feel scared as the white-head stared at him mysteriously. "W-What I'm trying to say is... You won't go anywhere w/o me around. Let's go find Kyou!" Momiji said, just to get his eyes out of Hatsuharu.  
  
"That's better. now let's go." Haru said then he turned his head to Uo- chan. "Let's play again some other time, okay?" he said blankly as he and Momiji walked away.  
  
"You know, Kyou can find his way home on his own, right? He's a cat. A cat has keen senses of direction. Why should we find him anyway?" Momiji asked quickly then he ducked down, expecting that Haru-kun will give him the evil stare again. Instead, he answered back calmly.  
  
"It's for Tohru's sake."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yuki told me what happened the day before and today. She was worried about Kyou and her mind was very busy before she would even think that she already fell in a pit. Yuki was really worried about her." Haru said then noticed that Momiji began to giggle. "Now, what's wrong Momiji? That giggle is weird."  
  
"You are not really doing this for Tohru. Instead, you are doing this for Yuki!" Momiji smiled widely at him. "You are worried of Yuki because he's worried too much about Tohru, right?"  
  
Hatsuharu didn't answer. Instead he saw the classroom 2-D open and Yuki was inside... With some other girls watching him. Then he continued on walking. But to tell you the truth..  
  
Momiji was right. in case you were wondering....  
  
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"I'm fine, Sohma-kun. It's just a scratch." Tohru said the 30th time as she cooked in the kitchen with Kagura. Yuki stared at her doing nothing. Then he felt a pat on his head as Shigure came in.  
  
"Ah, Yuki-kun, give it a rest, kay? Tohru-kun is just fine. Look at her, she's making our dinner now." Shigure sniffed the warm and delicious atmosphere in the kitchen. "Mmm. smells good. I wonder what are we going to eat today."  
  
"We were just boiling the potatoes, dummy." Kagura said as she diced the carrots. "We thought of having shrimp rolls and vegetables to-"  
  
"Oh my god! Shrimp rolls! SHRIMP! I forgot shrimp! Tohru said as she quicly walked out of the kitchen and hurriedly wore her shoes.  
  
"Where are you going"  
  
"I forgot shrimp. I need to but one before it gets dark." Tohru said.  
  
"Do you want me to go with you?" Yuki asked. Tohru paused for a moment. Yuki. Yuki was always there for her. What happened today won't happen again, she said to herself. I'll do it on my own. w/o Yuki.  
  
"No, I can manage.." Then she left the Sohmas.  
  
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"There you are." Haru-san said as he found Kyou hanging out in the tree far from She-chan's house. "I haven't seen you in school today."  
  
"I'm not in a good mood, COW.." Kyou said as he stared at his cousin and soon, he jumped out in shock (or maybe in anger.) "MOMIJI! Why are you still wearing that girl's uniform??? Haven't they found out yet?"  
  
"Don't be so predictive, Kyou-kun. Besides, I have a 'bodyguard' with me" Then he pointed Hatsuharu, who was no mood for that statement.  
  
"Anyway, that girl was looking for you all day. You might as well want to visit her." He began. Kyou still stared at the clouds doing nothing. He still remembered that day. and he blurted out that he cared for her.. that he kept on saying to himself that he would treat her better than anyone else... that he said that she would be okay if he's with her-  
  
"Hello?!?!?! Earth to Kyou!!!!" Momiji joked out but this time, Kyou jumped down from the tree, which made Momiji hide behind Haru's back. "Spare me, will you?"  
  
"Why would I visit her? She's okay with that. rat anyway."  
  
"You really don't like to say Yuki's name, huh." Haru snickered.  
  
"It's an insult for me to respect his NAME" Kyou answered.  
  
"Well it's much better that O-U-T-C-A-S-T"  
  
"Shut up, Momiji." Both guys answered back. Then Haru started again. "I don't have any idea what you said to her the day before but whatever it is, it is the cause of her fall."  
  
"Meaning, she fell into a pit w/o her knowing.. that it's a pit." Momiji completed the story. Kyou stared both at the rabbit and the cow. The story sounds real but he didn't completely believed it so Haru didn't see any change of expression in his face.  
  
"Seems like you don't care." Haru said as last.  
  
"Why? Is it real?" Kyou said as he walked away.  
  
.......  
  
"Why didn't you change into black Hatsuharu? You looked for him the whole afternoon and now, he doesn't even care on what you said." Momiji protested.  
  
"I'm really a little tired now, Momiji.. Can we go home?" Haru said  
  
"Uh. okay.." Momiji said as the two of them walked together. 'Tohru-kun, you're the only evidence that will prove everything what happened... I hope Kyou sees what he missed..' Momiji said to himself.  
  
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Nightfall it is when Kyou wandered around the busy streets. He thought about what Haru just said. He don't really believed on that story.  
  
Well, partially though..Until..  
  
"I must hurry home. It's getting late." Tohru said as she hurried out of the market where Kyou passed by a while (or a second) ago. He turned around and saw the kind and heartwarming Honda Tohru, carrying a small bag of groceries. Without hesitation, he ran after her, like he was an assassin hunting a princess.  
  
It was long before he reached her completely and this made Tohru spun around. "Kyou-kun! Where have you been? We've been waiting for you this morning and-"  
  
"You've been wasting your time." Kyou said as he grinned at her. "I wasn't really back there.." His voice trailed off. He stared at Tohru's face whereon her forehead was a small bandage. He reached out to touch it but somehow, Tohru took a step backward, coming to her senses that he already knew about the pit story.  
  
"I'm fine." she said calmly.  
  
"I didn't say anything." Kyou answered uncaringly. They stood there for a while. Then a rush of cool night breeze came, making Tohru shiver.  
  
"You shouldn't be here at this time of the night."  
  
"I was just buying shrimps for dinner.."  
  
"Then let's go back.." Kyou said as he started walking. ". What are you standing there for? You still need to cook dinner, you know!"  
  
"H-Hai!"  
  
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They were walking silently. Getting straight to the point, Kyou was bored. 'I wish I could say something.' Kyou thought. "Um, so. you went out alone.. Without that.. Prince of yours. That's so. different."  
  
"I didn't because. I don't want him to worry that much." Tohru answered shyly. "He did a lot of things in school and. I don't want to add up to his burden."  
  
Kyou was startled for a while. 'so. what Haru said was really true.' he clenched his fists trying to get to the subject.. "Did I...."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Did I...made you worry in anyway?" He said with "his fingers crossed". Tohru stared at him. He was serious but he did not dare look at her. Instead, he looked at his feet, like he was looking for something in the ground.  
  
"No.. not that really..I mean, maybe."  
  
"I was the main reason why you got that scratch in your forehead, right? You fell into the pit because you were thinking about me, right? Because I made you worried and I didn't show up first thing in the morning, right?" He asked these questions in a gradual tone. Tohru stopped at her tracks, hoping that she didn't made him angry or anything because of her clumsiness..but she was silent.  
  
Kyou finally stared at her. She was both confused and convinced. He then regained his natural voice and talked again calmly. "Look. if you think that I'm involved in that accident, I'm sorry, okay?"  
  
"Okay" Tohru answered back.  
  
"And also, don't go anywhere with that rat in the forest. He might as well get both of you lost. Remember, don't trust a rat in navigation. A rat always guessens where to go. Got that?" Kyou said briefly.  
  
Tohru smiled. "Hai!" 'At last, she smiled again', Kyou said to himself. "Shall we get going then?" as he started walking.  
  
"Hai---!!!!!!" The road was damp and slippery that night which made Tohru lose he balance. She grabbed Kyou in the nick of time but, he wasn't a good support. He wasn't ready when that happened so they both fell on the cold ground. Tohru was on top of Kyou, meaning she hugged him. In the middle of the sidewalk..  
  
Guess what? Same thing happened. Kyou didn't transform. But this time, Tohru witnessed it.  
  
"Why?.. How?" Tohru said confusingly. And Kyou was also in doubt.  
  
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So how was it? Hahaha! Now that's a relief. I did this after I did my book report and I was so happy in reached up to 5 pages! By the way, this is longer than I suspected, really. Thanks for all the people who told me about writer's block. Here I am! I'M CURED MAN!!! Anyway, Tohru found out about Kyou's "untransformation" and I was thinking maybe it wasn't right. You'll be the judge anyway. Please R&R!!!!  
  
Ei, to all the readers out there, I was thinking about a good partner of Ayame. (girl or boy) My friend said that it should be Shigure. What do you think? Please suggest and review!!!! 


	4. Yuki X Tohru

Chapter 4  
  
"Aah, Tohru-kun, you came!" Shigure welcomed with a smile while Yuki ran to her. He was worried. Of course, who won't be? It's already 9 in the evening and still, they don't have any food.  
  
"Are you alright? Is there any problem?" Yuki asked then turned to Kyou. "Did the cat did something to you?" He began to feel uneasy because Kyou might did something to her.  
  
"KYOU-KUUUUUUUUUUUUN!" Kagura shouted while pounding Kyou's face to the ground. "Where have you been?! I was SO WORRIED! Don't ever make me worry!" Then finally turned to Tohru. "Are you okay? Do you need any help in cooking? I can help!"  
  
Tohru sweatdrops. "H-Hai. I need to finish immediately or else all of you will get all furious."  
  
"Honda-san, it's okay. We're not that furious or anything-" Yuki stopped as they all heard a loud crash upstairs. It was Momiji, trying to calm the black Hatsuharu down.  
  
"Ne, ano.. Tohru-kun will be here in a little while, you'll see-"  
  
"NO! I can't wait any longer! I'll tell Kagura to cook that darn cat when he comes back home!" Hatsuharu screamed as he started to run down the stair. Then he was welcomed by unanimous stares.  
  
"I just heard that.." Kyou answered irritably but Haru ignored him.  
  
"There you are! You shouldn't keep the food to yourself. You should share it to others especially to me. Or else, you would get a piece of me-" Haru said. He was about to punch Tohru when Yuki blocked his way.  
  
"Stop it, Haru-san!" Yuki said, then Hatsuharu became normal again. There was a complete silence.  
  
"I-I'll go cook." Tohru said. She walked across the room and went to the kitchen. Kagura followed her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yuki-kun.. I couldn't-"  
  
"It's okay, Haru-san. I understand you." Yuki said. "But next time, try to hold everything back and also." He smiled mysteriously, "I like the idea of cooking a cat for dinner."  
  
"Really?" Haru asked.  
  
" Now stop those looks!" Kyou shouted.  
  
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"Now that was a good dinner." Kagura said in relief. "It was good because you are really good in cooking. That's why everyone admires you. I admire you."  
  
"..." Tohru was silent.  
  
"When you have time, can teach me some basic skills in cooking? SO that I can give Kyou-kun some lunch!" Kagura blushed slightly. She noticed that Tohru wasn't saying anything. She was either too focused in washing the dishes or.. something else.  
  
"Did he. give you a hard time, Tohru-kun?"  
  
"A.A-aah, ine." Tohru forced herself to smile. "I know Yuki was doing a lot of work so I understand him. We never got a chance to spend some time together but-"  
  
"No, Tohru.. Kyou-kun" Tohru didn't answer. She silently finishes draining the dishes and didn't replied at Kagura's question.  
  
"I know..Kyou-kun can be a person who likes to be alone and doesn't care to anyone. But really deep down, he's a good guy. It's just that.. he doesn't want to show it." Kagura explained. "He believes that being good is being weak."  
  
".." was the only thing Tohru can reply to Kagura.  
  
"I knew what happened this morning. Momiji said that you were thinking too much about Kyou." Kagura stared at Tohru, trying to find any signs of approval. Later, she saw Tohru blushed a bit. "AHA! I knew it!"  
  
"Not so loud, Kagura-san." Tohru panicked. She heard some noise upstairs. Maybe it's Haru-san again, Tohru wondered, I hope I didn't give him a bad meal.  
  
"Kyou always wants to have a refreshment first before he sleeps. So he climbs to the roof to relax." Kagura said.  
  
"You know really that much about Kyou."  
  
"Hai! He was the first person I laid my eyes on. Never I would share him to anyone." Then stared at Tohru again. "Unless you really demanded it."  
  
"No, Kagura-san!" She blushed in deep shades of red. Both girls laughed hysterically.  
  
"So.. you're my rival, ne? Don't worry. I'll win this game. I'll make sure I will." Kagura boasted. Both girls went outside to rest under the cool dark sky. Almost everyone is asleep so they kept their voices down as they continued their talk.  
  
"How's Yuki?" Kagura asked.  
  
"The same as usual. He's always busy. But he tried very hard just to spend time with me." Tohru said. "He was really a good guy, being admired and all."  
  
"And made him that way."  
  
"Ne?"  
  
"Yuki wasn't really open to anyone before especially to girls. But you changed him." Kagura answered calmly. "Ever since you came and knew about the Jyunishi secret, you spend all of your days with him, I mean, with us. And.. days passed by so fast, you were the one who made Yuki change. But not only him, even Kyou!" she smiled sweetly while Tohru made a questioning look.  
  
"Kagura-san, this was the only time that you spend with us and you quickly saw the 'change' while I.." Tohru wondered, 'Osaka, I don't know if I should believe this girl'  
  
"Tohru, don't be so naïve. If you looked closely, they weren't the ones you expected them to be. Well, I guess.. you can win this battle, ne?" She smiled and laughed eventually. Tohru followed shortly after that.  
  
Behind the doors of Shigure's house was a guy who has a keen sense of hearing. After the laugh, Yuki smiled to amuse himself, "I changed..because of Honda-san.."  
  
"Kagura-san, do you know what Kyou's favorite food is?"  
  
"Hai, why is it?"  
  
"I think Kyou is mad at me at this moment. Maybe tomorrow I can give him something in return." She smiled.  
  
"I can't help you with that!"  
  
"Why?" Tohru asked curiously.  
  
"It's a competition remember? I already have the advantage, Tohru-kun!"  
  
"Hey, that's not fair!"  
  
"But still.." Yuki wondered. "Kyou is what she really like.. before me.." He stood up and went to his room, silently.  
  
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"Kyou-KUUUUUUN!" It was nearly lunchtime the next day and the Sohmas spotted Kagura near the school gate. "Come here, KYOU-KUN!"  
  
"Now what is this girl doing here?" he wondered as her approached her hastily to prevent her from making much more louder noise. "What?"  
  
"Don't be rude Kyou-kun..." she stared at the ground, showing that she's about to cry. He quickly became nice to her. "What now? Is there something that you need?"  
  
"Ine, it's just that." she handed silently a small lunch kit. "I want to-"  
  
"Now what is this?"  
  
"Ano. your.lunch. I made you some." Kyou slowly noticed that Kagura was blushing. He took it from her hands and examined it. 'It looks like a safe lunch for me. She wasted her time doing this.'  
  
"I hope you'll eat it." Then she began to enrage. "Or else-" She punched Kyou so hard that he flew across the school grounds. The ones who witnessed kept their distance. Then she smiled again and left. 'I won, Tohru-kun ^_^'  
  
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"Ah.no.. Sohma-kun's here?" Tohru asked. She stood near the office door.  
  
"Hai! Wait just a minute." One of the seniors said and left to find Yuki. It was calm and peaceful that lunchtime when...  
  
~~~~L-O-V-E ! LOVE ME YUKI!~~~~  
  
Do you get what I mean?  
  
"Honda Tohru?! What are doing here? Are you here to disturb Prince Yuki again???"  
  
"A.."  
  
"How dare you do this to Prince Yuki! Don't you see? This is his passion and you're disturbing him"  
  
"Ine-" "Don't even think about it because we, the Yuki fan club, shall respect prince Yuki at all times and we shall DESTROY anyone who is against it!"  
  
*Beep*  
  
"How dare you treat Tohru-kun like that, you *beep* of *beep* *beep*"  
  
"Aaah! It's Hanajima!" The Yankees said. "We shall be back, Tohru-kun!" and they left.  
  
"They would never stop." Uo-chan said. "Did they hurt you or anything, Tohru?"  
  
"No. thanks, Hana-chan."  
  
"What are you doing here? Are you waiting for the prince again?" Hana-chan asked. "What's that?"  
  
"It's for him.." Then Yuki appeared behind her.  
  
"Honda-san.."  
  
"Sohma-kun, did you take lunch already? Here, I'll share you some." Then handed Yuki a lunch kit.  
  
"For. me?"  
  
"Hai, Sohma-kun. For you." She smiled. "Right, Uo-chan? Hana-chan?" Both of her friends are gone. "Where did they go-"  
  
Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Yuki hugged her. It was a tight hug and Tohru had no chance to to get away. "S-Sohma-kun! You might... might.."  
  
Nothing happened... and this amazed Tohru.  
  
'First, Kyou-kun, then Sohma-kun.. but why? Why isn't the curse effecting?"  
  
"Arigato.. Honda-san.." Yuki said. W/o Tohru knowing, a tear fell on Yuki's eye. To him, this was the best day that ever happened to him : To hug Tohru.  
  
At a distance, Kyou was watching them... and slowly walked away.  
  
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How was it? I shouldn't let Kyou see them but... That might spice up the story. Please REVIEW!!!! 


	5. a permanent mark

Chapter 5  
  
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Ei, guys, here I am again. The fifth chapter and sort of the middle part of the story. I read one of the reviews which I found quite interesting: Let Tohru kiss one of them. I've been thinking real hard about this and maybe.. this chapter might be a little romantic. I maybe won't be writing after this because my grades will be shown soon and.. well, I might get grounded, I suppose. Let's not waste time talking about my grades. Have fun in this chapter... To all Yuki and Tohru fans.. get ready for I won't be saying anything ^_^  
  
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Tohru stood in front of her mother's grave. It was a dark afternoon and she had been very confused lately. After the number of instances that happened, she didn't know what to believe. Yuki hugged her intentionally and Kyou caught her accidentally and both of them didn't transform. But they were Sohmas and she was forced to believe that they were cursed by the Jyunishi. Just by hugging them, they will change into their respective animal forms.  
  
But this.. she didn't knew why this is happening. I mean, it was good, the curse wasn't effecting and they could live in a normal life. But still..  
  
Osaka, why am I not happy?, she wondered, Why am I like this, confused and afraid? I used to be someone that can cheer up others and give them hope but.. I myself am hopeless.  
  
"Tohru.." She became petrified when she heard that mysterious voice. She started swinging her hands around and finally hit somebody.  
  
"Relax, Tohru-kun, it's me!" Momiji said. "Geez, I didn't know that you are afraid of ghosts!"  
  
"Momiji! How do you know this place?" Tohru asked and Momiji smiled.  
  
"Yuki-kun was beginning to worry about you. He hasn't seen you with Uo-chan and Hana-chan. I asked him 'where else could we find her?' and he answered, somewhere peaceful to..what's the word?... I forgot but I think it means to understand what you saw..or something like that. So I asked Shigure about this and he said that maybe you are with your mother because you want to ask for her guidance so I asked where is it then it led me here." He started to catch his breath after the long statement.  
  
"Boy, that was long. Anyway, he wants you to come home as soon as possible. It's going to get dark very soon and the forest will be dangerous if that happens so.. are you still with me, Tohru-kun?" Momiji asked.  
  
"Hai. I'll be leaving in a minute." Tohru said forcing herself to smile.  
  
"Okay, just tell me when you are ready, and we'll be walking home together. I'll be waiting outside." He then left Tohru.  
  
"Osaka, I don't know anything about this.. anti-curse thing but I won't let it hinder my studies. I'll continue until I graduate!" she said, imitating the "oath" position.  
  
Soon they already left and on the way, they met Kyou. He was sort of grumpy, after what he saw in the school of course. And Tohru didn't knew about this.  
  
"Ohayo! Kyou-kun!" Tohru greeted but he gave her a serious and offending look. "Go home. It'll rain soon." He said ignoring her warm greeting.  
  
"Where will you be going? You should go home too, you know!" Momiji screeched and this pissed him off. "Hey, you, even though I'm a cat, I can still kill you in this form." He raised his fist and was about to punch the poor defenseless rabbit until Tohru hugged Momiji to protect him from Kyou's attack.  
  
Now guess what happened next..  
  
First, Momiji transformed and turned into a yellow bunny, which is unusual nowadays and second, Kyou punched Tohru instead of Momiji, knocking her half conscious.  
  
Not to mention the big mark on her head.  
  
She fell onto her knees and did no reaction. She just sat there, silently. "Tohru-kun???? Daijobu??" Momiji asked while rocking her from side but there was no response. "Did you know what you just did?!?!?!"  
  
"I.." Kyou was speechless. He didn't care that they were in the middle of the forest and it was really dark. He can't think for a better reason why he did that.  
  
"Can you just help me carry her? It might rain soon..." Momiji became silent once he saw Kyou carrying her, alone. and he didn't transform as usual. "W-what's goin on? Why aren't you-"  
  
"Don't tell anybody, especially that rat. Only Tohru knew about this and maybe it would cause her more confusion. It much better like this so she won't freak out or anything." He said while looking at her innocent and bare face. "So, are you open your big mouth about this?"  
  
"No, if it would worry Tohru-kun more-"  
  
"Good. Now let's hurry home before that Yuki does."  
  
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"Aah, Yuki-kun, you're home-"  
  
"Shigure, where's Tohru?!" he quickly asked. He had a worried expression on his face. "She's upstairs."  
  
"What time did she arrive?"  
  
"Few hours ago. Momiji and Kyou accompanied her." After he heard the name, he turned around and walked toward his room. On the way, he bumped Hatsuharu who noticed Yuki's very unfamiliar expression.  
  
"Gomen, Haru-san-"  
  
"Maybe you should let go of this...president thing in school. You look paler and paler everyday. I suggest you should take a rest while you assign this job in school to somebody else." He suggested blankly as he kept on walking to the kitchen.  
  
'If you just knew, Haru-san, how much time I took to Tohru. I skipped everything even the school meetings just to know of she's okay... after I showed to her that.. I'm free from that curse.' He sadly thought to himself. 'Now that cat just won again..'  
  
He went to his room and sat on his bed. (even though I haven't seen his room yet. ^_^), thinking about what he should do next.  
  
I must apologize to her.. because I made her worry about me..  
  
He got up and went to Tohru's room. He stopped at her door and thought about what is he going to say. Suddenly he felt his heart beating fast.  
  
'Why am I thinking like this? She's a friend of mine in school. But I'm thinking of her as something else.. in my life. Stop it Yuki, just apologize, talk for a moment and leave.' He thought to himself. He gathered u[ all his guts, took a deep breath and went inside her room.  
  
"Tohru-------" he began but...  
  
Gasp  
  
That was the only thing he could do for a second.  
  
The next second, he was raged.  
  
He saw Kyou and the trapped, helpless Tohru on the corner of the room and their faces were inches apart. 'He kissed her... no he didn't, I'm in the nick of time. But still..." He saw tears fell on Tohru's eyes.. 'He did something...' Yuki thought.  
  
Kyou backed off once he saw Yuki come in. "Don't you even know how to knock, RAT?!?" That was supposed to be a joke. But instead, this made Yuki become angrier. He ran towards his rival and kicked him hard in the stomach.  
  
Since this is anime, it'll be a little more impossible. He sent Kyou flying through the window and to the Sohma's backyard. But the fight wasn't over yet. Yuki went outside and the fight continues.  
  
Momiji and Shigure went upstairs to Tohru's room. She still sat there doing nothing..  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, the battle outside was almost over.  
  
Kyou can't move anymore because of the continuous punches. Yuki can't go on anymore because Hatsuharu prevented him from doing anything. "Yuki, stop it now!"  
  
"Let me go, HARU-SAN! That darn cat just did something to Tohru!" he struggled free and began to choke Kyou.  
  
"N...nothing..happ..happened." Kyou said as she gasped for air. Yuki began to loosen his grip. "What did you say?" Yuki asked.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=* flashback (in Kyou's mind) *=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=  
  
"Gomen, Tohru-kun.." he said as he bowed slightly and begged for her apology. She reached out and lay a hand on his head. He could feel her soft and warm touch.  
  
"It's okay, Kyou-kun. I know that you didn't really mean what happened." She spoke softly but Kyou still heard her. He went closer to her and held her hands.  
  
"What can I do in return?"  
  
"N-nothing, Kyou-kun! I just forgave you. It's natural for me to do that." She said.  
  
"But.. what I did. leaves a mark."  
  
"But that mark can disappear soon." She explained while she pointed at the injured part. She smiled the silly smile again. "I'm okay, Kyou-kun. Everything will be okay-"  
  
"No, it won't. Ever since this curse disappeared, you became a little bit luckless." He said as he gazed at Tohru's innocent eyes. "I guess this will be the most unforgettable day in my life."  
  
"Hai. I thought so too. Since your whole life is cursed, maybe---"  
  
"No, you though it wrong. Now, my life is not cursed, because. you are here with me." He cornered her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "That's why, right now, promise me, don't freak out or anything.. because.. I'm going to leave a mark on you that you can't remove forever."  
  
A permanent mark? Tohru was worried. What permanent mark?  
  
Then Kyou leaned forward for a kiss. Their lips touched and soon, they were accepting each other's kiss, It was simple yet Tohru can feel that this kiss was neither scripted nor by force. The kiss was somewhat deep as Kyou leaned forward for more.  
  
'Osaka.this is the real Kyou-kun..' she thought. When the kiss was over, she blushed in deep shades of red while Kyou smiled. "I want you to remember me like this... Not the rough and violent one, but this one."  
  
Tears fell on her eyes. "Kyou..kun.." Then he leaned for another kiss but suddenly, the door opened and there was Yuki..  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
'If Yuki wasn't there, I could spend more time with her.'  
  
"What did you just said?" Yuki asked. It began to rain and soon, the three of them were soaking wet.  
  
"Nothing happened.." he said while looking in a different direction.  
  
"Listen to me, baka neko. Stay..away..from her.." he said slowly. "I don't want you to be that close to her again, UNDERSTAND?!"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Yuki-kun, we need to go back inside the house." Haru-san said. Both of them went onside, leaving Kyou soaked under the dark and rainy atmosphere.  
  
"I was supposed to do that to keep her worries away." He said to himself. "But what I just did.. did not made her worry but instead.. it made her cry.."  
  
  
  
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Ahh, done at last. So, to explain it again, in Yuki's thought, there was no kiss but he didn't knew that the kiss was over when he came in. So that was a jackpot point for Kyou. And he's both happy and sad about this. I may not be a Kyou fan but I'm very romantic in my stories.  
  
That's it. So this story from now on, will be General/Romance PG 13 story (because of the kissing part.) I haven't thought what Yuki's going to do next but.. let's just see what will happen. Please R&R!!!  
  
By the way, I already got my card and (ta-dah!!) I'm not grounded! All my grades went up by one point. All because of the inspiration I get from Fruits Basket ^_^. 


	6. Yuki's confession

Chapter 6  
  
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It's me again and.. sorry for the long introduction. But I have lots to say now so please lend me your eyes 0-0.  
  
First of all, I just felt so pathetic. Why? I'm a Yuki Sohma fan. And last chapter, I just made Kyou very lucky instead of Yuki. My friend read my fic and told me that this fic is turning to a romantic Kyou-Tohru instead of Yuki-Tohru-Kyou fic. Now tell me, it is unusual for a Yuki fan to make a romantic Kyou-Tohru fic, right? Don't answer yet so you'll be the judge.  
  
Next, many people asked me why the curse isn't working. Well, to tell you the truth, I haven't thought of that before. In the Philippines, during a Filipino class, I kept on thinking what would happen once the curse disappears AND the reason why it disappears. I don't really have a very good imagination. So I need you guys. Tell me what's on your mind. The best answer I can get will..uh.. be posted on the next chapter.  
  
I would like to thank everyone for your good comments that made me go this far. Arigato Gozaimasu!  
  
I added some characters for the next chapter mainly Ayame, Hatori, Kisa and Hiro. Nothing much but I have a great idea for Ayame. Just read this chapter if you want to know.  
  
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"Tohru-kun? What's our dinner?" Shigure asked.  
  
"Shigure, why are you sometimes annoying? You asked that question for the 5th time!" Momiji asked. Shigure thought for a while and answered completely.  
  
"Momiji-chan, I, Sohma Shigure, am a very hardworking novelist. After so many hours of concentration in a closed spaced room, my brain no longer can manipulate ideas for my masterpiece. So to regenerate more brain cells, a novelist's award should be the right amount of energy that my body needs. For short," Shigure said. "I'm VERY hungry, Momiji.."  
  
"What can we do? Tohru is in deep thought now. I can't disturb her."  
  
"Ohayo." Yuki greeted as he entered the house. "How's Tohru?"  
  
"Yuki, I'm hungry... Let's go to some restaurant and but some food.." Shigure pleaded.  
  
"Shigure, we can't just leave Tohru like this. Also, I have some work to do.." Yuki replied. "Momiji, did she ate the food?" Momiji shook his head. "I see, I'll deliver some food to her myself."  
  
"Yuki.." Just then, Ayame came in. "Ohayo!"  
  
"Ayame-san! Can you come with me and buy some dimsum????" Shigure asked.  
  
"Hai. To tell you the truth, I'm really getting hungry now. Bye, little brother! I'll see you later!" He winked at him, which disgusts Yuki.  
  
"Get out, PEST!" Yuki demanded. Then Shigure and Ayame left while talking about some adult stuff. Then Hatori came in with Hatsuharu behind him. "Hari-san, what are you-" Yuki started.  
  
"Hi. Is Tohru okay?"he asked. "Hatsuharu told me that she was having a very 'disturbing' problem." He stared at Yuki whose face was deep and hard to explain. "Are you okay? Do you have problems on your own?"  
  
"Nothing." He turned his back and went inside the kitchen to get some food for Tohru.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Haru asked Momiji but he didn't answer back. "Is it because of Tohru?"  
  
"maybe... maybe because of what Kyou-kun did to her." Then he left as well.  
  
"Sometimes, I don't know what happened in this house." Hatori said. " But now I know that.. without Tohru, this house would be lifeless."  
  
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"Shigure.. I feel so sorry to my brother." He said quietly but the restaurant was too noisy and. *ahem* one third of the noise came from Shigure.  
  
"EY, BUD, I WANT ANOTHER ROUND! THE NOVELIST NEEDS TO REGENERATE HIS INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES SO KEEP IT GOING!!!!!!" Shigure shouted. Little did he knew that creating this much noise can result to a lot of trouble.  
  
"Shut up, will ya?"  
  
"Yeah! Would you just shut up for a while??????"  
  
"shut up... SHUT UP!?!?! What are you thinking? Don't you even know who I am??? I am Sohma Shigure, the greatest novelist of today's time! Soon, you will all respect me and bow down to me as slaves! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! SLAVES!!!!!!" Shigure boasted as he stood up on his table and swayed his hand like a madman, pointing at every customer.  
  
'Shigure. what is happening to you.' Ayame thought to himself.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------  
  
"KYOU-KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNN!" the boar shouted as she scanned every tree in the woods if there's a sign of her "one and only love". But she had been searching for hours and she was very tired. "When I get my hands on that cat, I will... I will..." Then her eyes caught up to something.  
  
She saw a strange figure by the pond. She came closer to see and she saw Tohru, cooling herself.  
  
Tohru turned around to reach out her clothes but she unexpectedly saw Kagura with her head poking out of the bushes. "AHHHH! Ka------kagura- san.." she finally said calmly.  
  
"Sorry to scare you, Tohru.um. can I join you?" she asked.  
  
"Ah..hai..." Kagura then undresses and soaked her body in the pond. "ahhh, this pond is so cold.."  
  
"Hai. After some chores, I stop by here to cool myself. Usually, Yuki-kun also stops by to drink some water after his gardening. And besides, Hatori- san said I needed a break so----" She said cheerfully and she caught a curious stare from Kagura. "Ne?"  
  
"First, Kyou-kun, now, Yuki-kun. Well, well, how can you know this much from both of them?"  
  
"Ka---kagura-san! What are you talking about? They are my friends and it's natural for me to know about them." She abruptly spoke out loud. Kagura giggled silently as she sprinkled some water to Tohru, teasing her.  
  
"You can't just take both of them at the same time! We already had a competition between Kyou, now you're backing out because of Yuki?! What are you, a sore loser?" She teased. Tohru got a sense of the name again. KYOU.  
  
'I want you to remember me like this' Those were the soft spoken words she had heard from him. It kept twirling in her mind. Why is she thinking like this? Did she loved him at that time? Or did she shouted for Yuki's help to get rid of him from what he is doing?  
  
"Tohru-kun." Kagura waved her hand in front of Tohru's face, waking her up. "Ne, You're dreaming while you are awake. What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Kagura-san.."  
  
"It is Kyou-kun again, ne?" she asked. " If he does something to you again, tell me and I will do the payback for you."  
  
"Kagura-san." she sweatdrops.  
  
"Besides, hurting Kyou badly makes me happy. It is a sign of a affection to hurt somebody like that." Both of them giggled silently.  
  
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"Oe!" Hatsuharu greeted Yuki that night with Shigure and Ayame behind him. "What happened to them?" Yuki asked.  
  
"A restaurant kicked them out after Shigure played a little 'trick' with the waitresses." He explained and Shigure butted in. "They're so many! But I could snatch one and take her home with me. She can be served as my 'INSPIRATION' in my novels." He boasted once more.  
  
"I would say a 'MODEL' for your 'EXPERIMENT' rather than inspiration, Shigure." Hatori said. "Also, your editor called. She said she needs the other 175 pages first thing in the morning."  
  
"Wha.. the burden.. why does it have to be me???" Shigure cried out loud.  
  
"I have to go now. I had some work to do. Ayame, you can hitch a ride for a way back home." Hatori said. "Wait, I have to say something to Yuki." Ayame said.  
  
"Say your farewells in a short sentence, quickly!" Yuki unpatiently said.  
  
"Yuki-----"  
  
"Okay, that's enough. Bye now! Leave!" Yuki said.  
  
"How come you hated me this much???" Ayame asked. Yuki leaned against the wall, showing that he's uninterested on what Ayame is about to say. "Okay, go on. I'm listening."  
  
"I know that you also notice that Tohru is..well. 'breaking down' after what Kyou 'did' to her, am I right?" Yuki showed no reaction. ".Okay, anyway, we are all counting on you to cheer her up for this once."  
  
"What? What are you talking about? She already had Kyou. There's no room for me anymore." Yuki answered desperately. Soon, Momiji, Hatsuharu and Shigure were listening. Ayame shook his head.  
  
"She might have no more space for you inside but take a look around. Kyou is nowhere to be seen. He left after he 'did something' to her. She ALL ALONE NOW." he said out loud. Yuki grinned at him. "This maybe will be the first and the last time that I will take one of your stupid advices."  
  
"Believe me, it's for your own good." He said naturally. He twirled around and followed Hatori towards his car.  
  
"Guys.. can you help me.. with this?" he asked. All of them nodded. "Let's make.. Tohru happy again." He looked at opened door Ayame went through and her smiled.  
  
Arigato..Onii-chan...  
  
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"Aachoo!" Tohru sneezed.  
  
"Tohru-kun, we need to get back. It's really getting dark and.. Yuki might be worried about you." Kagura suggested and Tohru nodded. "Hai, besides, I'm getting cold too."  
  
They both went home silently.. and when they came home, Momiji welcomed them. "Aah, Kagura-san, can you help me with the laundry?"  
  
"A. Momiji-san, I'll be doing the laundry---" Tohru began but she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. It was Hatsuharu, but not in the black form. "It's alright, Tohru-kun. Why won't you go up to your room and rest. We'll be doing all your chores for tonight, okay?"  
  
What's going on? She asked herself. Their looks looked normal. They don't sound like they were pretending or joking. So she nodded and did what they said.  
  
"How come she gets to rest and I don't???" Kagura asked.  
  
"We have a surprise for Tohru upstairs." Shigure came in before Momiji can answer.  
  
"Now how come she gets------ a surprise? Is it her birthday?"  
  
"No....but you will see soon." Shigure said and turned to Haru. "Are you sure that it's fine with you?"  
  
Hatsuharu grinned. "As long as it pleases Yuki, I can accept it anyway." This made Kagura confused. To please Yuki?  
  
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Tohru went to her room. She was very tired. She just cooled herself down from the pond but still she felt that she's breaking down or something. 'I'm alright' she said to herself. "I shouldn't make others worry about me." Then she opened her bedroom door.  
  
She saw something that she wasn't really expecting.  
  
Candles..everywhere..in her room..  
  
'Osaka, someone placed a lot of candles on my room' She was amazed by how much candles there is. All gave a blazing fire to light up her room. She had seen this once on one of the churches near their school. But it was lit for a specific reason. Why is it?  
  
"Does this surprise you?" Yuki said. Tohru turned around and Yuki was there sitting on her bed. She was slightly blushing. 'Did Yuki do this..for me?'  
  
"What's the occasion?" she asked. Yuki giggled a bit. "Honda-san, you are sometimes funny you know that?"  
  
"Ne?" She couldn't understand why this is happening. Yuki came closer to her and touched her cheek. She was surprised because it was a warm touch. Usually, Yuki's hands were cold. But it was different on that night.  
  
"Honda-san. It's been days since I was this close to you." Yuki began. "Demo, I felt like I'm losing something.. after that baka neko did something suspicious to you."  
  
"What is it, Sohma-kun?" she asked innocently.  
  
"Honda-san.. I lost.. someone. in my life." Then he suddenly hugged her tightly. Tohru was blushing visibly, knowing that Yuki meant something. He needs attention.  
  
"Sohma-kun.."  
  
"Honda-san..I. I have a confession to make." He breath slowly and whispered on her ear. "I. Love you, Tohru-kun." She was tensed. For the first time, Yuki called her like that. It's not very ordinary because in between those letters was the love he desired to give her before Kyou does.  
  
"If ever that Baka Neko did something to you, hurt your feelings or even made you cry, I swear I won't forgive him. I won't let him do that to you.. ever again.." He said softly. "Please remember this.. I'm the Yuki you know as the high school prince, popular and cold sometimes. But still I have a reason to love.. a person like you, Tohru-kun. I want you to remember me like this.. as long as we're together."  
  
'Osaka, Kyou-kun and Sohma-kun..they both have the same desire. They want me to know that they care for me this much..' Tears fell from her eyes. 'But. I don't know.. when the time comes... if I had to chose. one of them."  
  
He body began to collapse and she was half conscious. Yuki felt her weight getting heavy and soon, all of her weight were in Yuki's arms. "Honda- san..HONDA-SAN!!!!!"  
  
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HEHEHEHEHE. was it great or what? So Yuki got his part also and.. I left you hanging there (hehehehehe..) You'll get to know why Tohru collapsed on Yuki's arms. Please R&R!!!! 


	7. Jyunishi 'reverse'

Chapter 7  
  
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Ei, I'll make the introduction very short because I know you're DYING to know why the curse isn't working. Guess what? The answer is on this chapter!!!!! I'm ruining the fun here so just read... and also review, you know...  
  
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The Sohmas sat silently on the living room. After Tohru collapsed, Momiji called Hatori as well as the other Sohmas that Tohru knows (except Akito). They all share the same emotions. That's right. All of them are worried about Tohru,  
  
"What's taking Hatori so long?" Momiji said as he kicked the table, disturbing everyone's silence. "I want to know what's happening to Tohru!"  
  
"We have to wait patiently.. and pray that Tohru would be okay." Shigure said. He too was also affected even though he wasn't really that much involve in the "problem".  
  
"Maybe the surprise didn't work like we wanted-------" Kagura began but Ayame cut through. "Don't think like that! You're making Yuki regret!" Then they all stared to Yuki.  
  
Yuki just sat there. He was quite but serious. He thought about what had happened. He remembered the way she collapsed. He thought that it was a joke but her weight was on his arms. So he sat down and let Tohru rest on his lap. He called out her name but there was no response. He began to feel worried so he called the others to call Hatori. Then he heard a silent response but it was not for him..  
  
"O..Okaa..san.." she said helplessly as the "pain" inside her body began to make her feel weak and fragile.. but there were words Yuki didn't really expect to hear. "K..Kyou..k.kun" Tears fell from her eyes and from Yuki's eyes as well.  
  
'She remembered him.. but not me..' he wondered until footsteps were heard from the stairs. They all stood up and saw Hatori. Usually, Hatori's face was quite blank and very impossible to read but on that day, Yuki read the doctor's face; it was a worried and confused face.  
  
"What now, Tori?" Shigure asked first. The rest were waiting for an answer. Then Kagura cut in. "Is it a cold? If it is, I'm very sorry! I didn't warn her that it would be cold and chilly tonight--------"  
  
"Yes, Tohru-kun has a cold but that wasn't the cause of her collapse." Hatori answered carefully and Kagura sighed in relief. "Then what is it?" she asked.  
  
"..Tohru..unexpectedly, has a..very weak heart."  
  
Silence.  
  
"That can't be!" Momiji cried out. "Tohru.. is a very energetic person! She didn't mention that she had a heart problem!!!"  
  
"She didn't mention so we didn't know." Hatori said calmly. "But still.. it's hard to believe that she had a .. sickness.. for so many years."  
  
"But she just acted strangely since Kyou left her.." Kagura explained. Yuki was just silent. He still didn't want to believe it.  
  
Kisa went to Hatori and tugged his shoulder. "Can we see Onee-chan?" "Yes you can but try not to wake her. She needed a lot of rest for now. Kagura, can you handle Tohru's chores for now?" Hatori asked.  
  
"Hai, I'll do it." She said happily.  
  
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Hiro and Kisa went upstairs with Hatsuharu and he others already left. Yuki silently went to Kagura, who was doing the laundry.  
  
"Ei, Yuki-kun! Can you pass me the laundry soap?" Yuki reached the soap from the cabinet and gave it to Kagura. "You're pretty silent today. Don't worry. Hatori said she'll be fine in a few days."  
  
"Kagura-san.. remember the tale that our relatives used to tell us during reunions?" Yuki asked.  
  
Kagura nodded eventually. "Hai, about the rumor that someday, one of the Jyunishi members will be lucky enough to be free from the curse by giving it to somebody else. all out of... LOVE." she explained. "*sigh* I won't be that lucky. The only person that I loved in my life is Kyou-kun but I can't pass him the curse so. I'm hopeless.."  
  
"Do you think it's true?" Kagura looked at him. He didn't answer the question. Instead, he explained the whole story to her. After that, her eyes grew wide. "So it IS true! You are the lucky Jyunishi member.. and Tohru was the one getting affected."  
  
"Hai.."he said sadly.  
  
"Why are you sad, my friend? You are free from the curse!" Kagura cheered.  
  
"Don't you get it? Even if I am free from the curse.. the one that I love is in agony because of this stupid reverse!" he blurted out. Kagura patted his shoulder. "That's why Akito-san forbid us to love and welcome outsiders.. because they can become the burden from the curse.."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll ask Tori-san if he knew how to reverse this..rumor." Kagura said "Right now, I need to bring Tohru some food. Do you want to come?"  
  
"No thanks. I need to find baka neko." Then he left the kitchen.  
  
"Weird.." Kagura wondered. "Yuki never even cared about Kyou-kun before.."  
  
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"Ughhhh.." Tohru opened her eyes and found herself in her room, wondering what happened. Just then, Kisa jumped for joy.  
  
"Onee-chan's awake!!!" she happily cried out. Hiro tried to calm her down. " We should not disturb much, Kisa." He reminded her.  
  
"So.. how was your beauty sleep?" Haru asked.  
  
"Ne?"  
  
"Next time, if you're planning to faint, please not in front of Yuki. He became so worried that he lost his appetite." He touched her forehead. " Do you feel dizzy or anything? If you do, we could call Hatori right away---"  
  
"What happened?" she asked suddenly.  
  
"Don't you even remember?" She tried to but she shook her head. "I see.. maybe this is the side effect of fainting. I better tell Hatori about this." Then he left the room.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Hiro asked blankly. "You made Kisa worry a lot. Why did you faint anyway?!"  
  
"Hiro.. Hatori already told us.." Kisa said.  
  
"I.. fainted?" she wondered. Hiro stared at her and he could see her confused face.  
  
"You don't really remember? What kind of person are you?"  
  
"Gomen.. I just don't know.."  
  
"Hiro, remember what Hatori said. We shouldn't make her think too much.. she needs rest." Then she smiled at Tohru. " Take the day off and get some sleep, Onee-chan."  
  
"But..my daily chores-----"  
  
"Kagura will be doing your chores. Just follow the doctor's advice. Go to sleep.." Hiro said. "C'mon Kisa.." They also left room.  
  
"What..happened? Okasan..Did I just faint. in front of Sohma-kun?" she wondered again and again..  
  
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"So you finally found me in my 'secret training spot'" Kyou boasted as Yuki slowly approached him. "Let's finish this fight, once and for all!!!"  
  
"Well, to tell you the truth.. I just went walking in the middle of forest then suddenly I found some orange haired dumbass doing nothing but kickboxing a tree. Besides," Yuki explained. "I'm no mood for fighting."  
  
"Well, is the rat giving up?" Kyou shoved Yuki towards a tree. "Then stand still and let me do all the work." Then, Yuki gripped Kyou's neck to shut him up.  
  
"I'm serious.. I'm no mood for fighting." He pushed Kyou aside, landing him on a rock. He winced in pain then stared at him.  
  
"What do you want?" Kyou crossed his arms and stared at him  
  
"I supposed a news about Tohru could make you listen to me." He started to walk away but Kyou stopped him.  
  
"What news?"  
  
"Tohru has a weak heart." Then Kyou made the same reaction.  
  
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"Aah..hai, I'll tell her. Bye, Tori-san." Hatsuharu hung up the phone. "What now, Momiji-san?"  
  
"What do you mean by 'she forgot what happened'" Momiji kept on tugging his shoulder for the past five minutes since Haru called Hatori in the phone.  
  
"Meaning she doesn't know what happened, even though she and Yuki are the only ones who witnessed it. But whatever it is, she'll remember what it is. Hatori strictly said on the phone that she needs rest to get herself back." Hatsuharu said. "Now let go of me, this is a new shirt. I tried to impress Yuki for a while but he's gone again."  
  
"Kagura said that he went out to find Kyou." Momiji explained. Haru smirked. "Now that amused me. Yuki for once cared for Kyou."  
  
"Maybe he really didn't cared for Kyou. Maybe, it's for Tohru." He guessed. "But why would he give Kyou his opportunity?"  
  
"I just don't know----" Just then, Kagura dashed in front of them. "----- Woah! Slow down."  
  
"I know something?!??!?!" she smiled mysteriously. "It's about.. 'THE RUMOR'"  
  
"Ne? The one we talked about every reunion?" Momiji became excited. "Who's the lucky Jyunishi?"  
  
"Yuki!!!!" They (except Hatsuharu) danced along the room. "We should tell every Sohma relative.. except Akito of course.. or maybe even Shigure.. or Hatori also.."  
  
"We should skip Ayame. Yuki might enraged once Ayame did a 'freedom' costume for him." Momiji suggested and Kagura nodded. "Haru-san, aren't you happy for Yuki?"  
  
"But.. my mom told me.. that the only lucky Jyunishi..is the cat."  
  
"That can't be. First of all, the cat is not part of the Jyunishi. Second, if that really happened, Yuki might get 'heartbroken' and at the same time, furious to Kyou. Third," Kagura pretended to cry. "I WILL KILL THAT KYOU ONCE HE GET A CHANCE TO FALL IN LOVE TO ANOTHER GIRL!!!! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH and... I DON'T WANT ANY GIRL TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" She raised her fist and pretended to punch somebody. Then she went back to the normal. "Still, my first two reasons are evidences already."  
  
"I agree with her." Momiji raised his hand.  
  
"But that's what my mother told me. She warned me not to believe the rumor or else Akito might have me hanged for that. Akito really didn't believe the rumor, did he?" Haru asked.  
  
"But he tried to keep the Jyunishi members away from outsiders, especially opposite sex as possible. He might not believe it but he's becoming too protective to us." Momiji said. "I wondered about what you said, Haru-san. I would like to know if that's true."  
  
"I deny what you just said." Kagura stomped. "Completely, Kyou-kun cannot fall in love with another girl and would offer the curse to her UNLESS I'm around!"  
  
"We'll find out.. once we find Kyou." They all left the house. Little did they know, Akito's car was nearby. He saw them leaving the house and he smiled mysteriously (as always).  
  
"Tohru.. I wonder if I could just pay.. a 'harmless' visit while your friends are gone."  
  
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"That can't be true!"  
  
"That's what we all said, baka neko. You're too late to say those words." Yuki said blankly.  
  
"But.. Am I the last one to know?" Kyou gave a worried look to Yuki but he didn't notice his cousin.  
  
"We haven't told Uotani and Hana-chan, her grandpa and Akito-san. He won't even care anyway. Hatori said that she'll be okay after a few weeks."  
  
"Then why did you tell me?" This struck Yuki. Why did he even decide to look for him? Aah, yes. Because Tohru needs him. She called for Kyou and not for him. She cried for Kyou and not for him. What a shame. When did she even have the idea to cry for a guy..like him?  
  
"Why? Don't you deserve to know.. after what you've DONE to her?" The tone of his voice rose and Kyou noticed it.  
  
"Now, you're blaming me again. Have we talked about this before???"  
  
"We haven't talked about it. We just FOUGHT about it."  
  
"I just told you a few days ago. NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!" Kyou angrily cried out loud.  
  
Yuki gave an I-don't-believe-you impression. "Don't hide everything like that.. You just kissed her. and you don't know how she reacted. She was terrified Kyou! And you didn't noticed!"  
  
"What the-----" Then a scream was heard.. but it was not "help".  
  
"KYOU-KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNN!!!!!" Kagura jumped and landed on Kyou, hard. "I missed you, Kyou-kun! I also heard that.. thing Yuki said. YOU KISSED TOHRU?!?!?! WHY DID YOU CHEAT ON ME???? DON'T YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE?!?!?!!?"  
  
"Get off me, you pest!" He just hoped he didn't say that.  
  
"PEST?!?! NOW YOU'RE CALLING ME PEST?!?!?! AFTER ALL THE LAUNDRY I DID FOR YOU, YOU JUST CALLED ME A P-E-S-T?!?!?!" she began to punch him consecutively.  
  
"Oe, Yuki-kun!" Hatsuharu and Momiji appeared behind the bushes.  
  
"Haru-san, Momiji-san! If you're here, then who's in the house to guard Tohru?" Yuki asked worriedly.  
  
"Calm down, Kisa and Hiro are in the house watching------" Then he saw Kisa and Hiro moving toward them. "-----TV.. what are you doing here?"  
  
"Kisa got bored so we decided to roam around a bit since we saw you guys talking about the rumor by the phone." Hiro explained.  
  
"If Shigure, Ayame and Hatori went out and we are all here, then who's back at the house?" Momiji asked.  
  
"That's what I've been asking a while ago, didn't I, MOMIJI?!?!" Yuki asked in a higher tone.  
  
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Tohru opened her eyes again. She felt a quiet atmosphere, like she needed for so long. The house seems empty, she said to herself. But the truth is, the house isn't empty. There was one person who was there that she unexpectedly saw for so many days.  
  
"Ah, Tohru-kun.. had a wonderful sleep?" a voice made her think. That voice.. that mysterious voice is.  
  
She sat up and saw a Sohma sat by her bed, smiling mysteriously at her. "Akito..san.."  
  
"No screams, Tohru-kun..no screams.."  
  
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Ha.. It took me a lot of time to think what will be the reason well here it is. Once in a lifetime, one of the Jyunishi members will be free from the curse once he/she transfers it to another person whom he/she loved. SO FAR, two members were 'free' and that is Kyou and Yuki, passing the curse to one person, which is Tohru. There would be one more. You'll just know him in the next chapter. I assure you it's in the next chapter.. and I already gave a clue..  
  
Now you might be thinking. How come Tohru had this sickness so suddenly? I'll tell you the answer before Hatori does next chapter (Hatori: Hey! That's not fair!). Tohru will be carrying two curses (Yuki and Kyou). Instead of transforming, she will be sick like Akito, who was carrying the burden of all Jyunishi curses. I don't know why it is a hear problem..not like Akito. I just wanted her to feel..uh..weak for the next chapter. (OMG I'm blabbing everything.) Please Review!!!!! 


	8. Effect on Tohru

Chapter 8  
  
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OMG! I need to finish this chapter as soon as possible. We have a very hectic schedule in school so..oh yeah, as if you really cared about schedule. I'll just the start the fic okay?  
  
PS. the fic 'Knight in Shining Kimono' in Festival of the Fireflies inspired me to do this work. It is an adult fruits basket fansite. Beware of the hentai's and Yaoi's there (Especially some Shigure hentai and yaoi ^_^ even thought I already read it.) Also, I got inspired by Syaoran no hime's 'the untitled fairy tale'. It's another version of Fruits Basket series with a Yuki-Tohru type of romance. Heheheh.. It's so kawaii! Read that fic..after you read this one, of course.  
  
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"Akito-san... what are you doing here?" she stammered. He just smiled differently which gave Tohru the chills.  
  
"Why? Don't you accept visitors, Tohru-kun?" he reached out and slightly touched her cheek. So cold, she wondered but still, she felt strange about him. He might visit her.. because of some other reason..  
  
"Gomen. but. I don't really expect you coming here." she wondered.  
  
"Ine. I just heard the news so I came to check you out." Akito is here to check me out? Was there a time that he was worried about me? Tohru wondered deeply while Akito went closer to her.  
  
"Akito-san. I. what do you really want?" Tohru asked. This made him smile a bit, somewhat pleased. He held her hand and gripped it firmly.  
  
"What I want? .. I want you to take me." he said slowly and darkly. Using his other hand, he grasped her hair and pulled it hard on one side, making her shriek for a second. "TAKE THIS CURSE!!!!!!" Tohru screamed and cried out in pain.  
  
"Akito-san!" Voices were heard from the door. He turned around and he saw Yuki with others watching them. Kisa's eyes were forcibly by Hiro and Kagura held Kyou back as he was about to charge and kill Akito with his own hands. All of them were silent.  
  
"I guess.. I can visit you some other time, Honda Tohru-kun." he got up and went out of the room, leaving an evil and mysterious stare to all of the Sohmas. After that, Kisa approached the confused yet terrified Tohru, who just sat there silently.  
  
"Are you okay, Onee-chan?" No response but Kisa could feel that there are no other problems.  
  
"Why is Akito here anyway?" Kagura asked everyone. Yuki was the only one who heard Akito said those words. 'Take my curse.'  
  
"Maybe he knew that the rumor works."  
  
"Now wait a minute." Haru came in and raised his hand. "I got lost in the damn forest and I got here last... What did I miss?"  
  
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" I don't think that letting Akito in your house was a good idea." Ayame said as he finished his glass. " Besides, you should have told everyone after Akito told you."  
  
"I can't, Ayame-san. He told me that he would like to surprise them, especially Tohru." Shigure smiled mysteriously.  
  
"On what side are you anyway?" Aya asked curiously which made Shigure laugh.  
  
"Aya-san, sometimes, you should act like a writer. Every time you make a story, you should always remember that there should be a sense of balance in the story. Like me, a novelist, I make sure that the story had be perfectly balance----"  
  
"We're talking about the situation here, not you're masterpieces!" Ayame snapped.  
  
"That's what I'm trying to say, Aya-san. I'm plain neutral. I don't choose which side am I. What side suits my idea gets my idea." Shigure said proudly. "Of course, the one who gets my idea won't regret because.. as usual, my ideas are masterpieces in life!" He then laughed annoyingly like the last time. Ayame sweatdrops.  
  
"At least I'm not like you. babbling on and on about your ever-popular ideas. They made you a writer so that they won't hear your ideas. They will just read it and forget it eventually!" He was also drunk but he tried not to act weird. not like Shigure.  
  
He stood up, not on the table but this time, on the bar table, annoying everyone in front of him. "Well, I'm not like you. You're hiding your gayness behind those 'romantic' creations of yours! Why would people be interested on your ideas? They're just clothes! People nowadays just use thin pieces of silk to cover their naked bodies.. not those balloon-like, agonizing and pathetic dresses filled with buttons and ribbons and satins and----"  
  
"Hey, Those are the two guys again that wrecked my bar last time!" the bartender shouted. All eyes focused on the drunk Shigure. Ayame stood up and tugged Shigure's pants, since he's on a higher ground.  
  
"I think it's a good idea to leave now." Aya asked.  
  
"Now you're telling me that I should listen to your idea *hic*?" Shigure playfully said.  
  
"Now what's on your mind, genius?" Aya asked again annoyingly.  
  
"I think *hic* we should.. *hic* call the navy and fly to *hic* Brazil to get some hot *hic* chicks.." He smiled. " Hey... *hic* I can see one right now!" he said while pointing to the kitchen door where a waitress came out. "Hey you! Do you want to go to Hawaii and make *toot* with me?"  
  
"Now that's a bad idea." Ayame said to himself..  
  
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"How was your visit?" Hatori asked Akito on the phone. He heard the clan head snickered.  
  
"Can I just for once have some.. quality time with her?" Akito asked the doctor. He sounded like he's pleading then he continued. "I already started.. then Yuki and the others came in, ruining 'our' time. Can you arrange another time for me?"  
  
"I'll try, Akito-san. Maybe after a few days, I'll be checking Tohru again.. and you're welcomed as a visitor." Hatori said.  
  
"At last.."  
  
"Can I ask something, Akito?"  
  
"As long as it doesn't involve me.." Then Hatori could say anything. Of course, he's going to asked something about the clan head and his suspicious actions on Tohru. He also cared about Tohru but Akito was the clan head. He can't do anything about it. "Well?" Akito asked impatiently.  
  
"Never mind, Akito-san, Good day." Then he hung up and sighed loudly. "I guess Shigure will be the one who can answer my question."  
  
"Oe, Tori-kun!" Hatori looked out his window and saw Ayame called out loud while carrying the drunken novelist in one arm. Aya waved, calling him to open the door.  
  
"Why are they bothering me? What did I do?" Hatori asked himself.  
  
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"Is Tohru okay?" Yuki asked Kagura that evening. All of them, except Momiji, were eating dinner downstairs. A while ago, he kept on squealing that he wanted to take care of Tohru. So Kagura gave her responsibility to him.  
  
"Hai. Momiji was doing great in 'entertaining' her." This made Kyou's and Yuki's head twitch. Kagura giggled for a while. "Don't worry. Momiji won't do.. that.. to Tohru. She'll be 'safe' in Momiji's hands."  
  
"How come you're saying those words like you're not sure at all." Kyou said as he gobbled up his food.  
  
"If Tohru didn't tell you guys to go down and stop worrying about her, you two might start a fight in front of her." Kagura snapped, ending the conversation. "Now. does anybody know why Akito came?" There was no response as usual.  
  
"Let's just call the genius for this." Haru got up and went to the phone.  
  
"Who are you calling?" Kagura asked.  
  
"Hatori" he answered simply. " I'm going to tell him to come over tonight. to have a little chat with us."  
  
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After some bento and take-outs, all of them, including Ayame and Hatori were pretty full down to the stomach. Shigure was half asleep after 8 glasses of liquor and eating food good for 7 people.  
  
"Why did you call me for anyway?" Hatori asked.  
  
" We were hoping that you would tell us what's going on." Hiro said. There was a sudden silence. Hatori sighed and didn't give any answer.  
  
"What's going on, Ojii-san?" Kisa asked.  
  
"Akito is up to something." Hatori began, "that can change our lives. especially Tohru's"  
  
"What do you mean?" Yuki asked.  
  
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"How are you doing?" Momiji asked Tohru, who tried to sit up.  
  
"What time is it?" Tohru asked while she yawned and stretched from her long sleep.  
  
"9:00 in the evening. Do you want to eat?" he asked cheerfully and she eventually nodded. Momiji went down the stairs and saw Hatori explaining something to the group. "What's up, Tori-san??!?!!?" he asked loudly.  
  
"Keep it down. Tohru might wake up!" Kyou hissed.  
  
"But---" Momiji began but Kagura grabbed him and clamped her hand in his mouth.  
  
"You can stay here and listen but you have to keep it down! This is the secret of Sohmas only and Tohru shouldn't know about this!" She snapped.  
  
"Mfffmfff-fmff---" he tried to talk but still, he was wasting his energy. "Now where were we?" Hatsuharu asked.  
  
"Well, seems like Akito was up to something. But all we know is that he would like to pass this burden to Tohru." Ayame said slowly.  
  
"Now he will be the free one, leaving us and Tohru like this." Yuki added.  
  
"Forget about Akito. Think about Tohru." Hatori began. "Right now, as Shigure and Kagura said, Tohru carries the burden of two curses: Yuki and Kyou. She now feels very weak. Now imagine if Akito will let her carry ALL of our curses, do you think she will survive?" he asked. None of them responded.  
  
"What should we do then?" Kyou asked finally.  
  
"We should try to keep Akito.." then looked at the novelist, "and that guy away from Tohru. Make sure she doesn't know anything about this. As soon as Akito REALLY needs her, you can tell her everything but try to stay calm and don't make her panic too much."  
  
"Then?" Kagura asked.  
  
"If the situation gets worse.. I have no choice but to push her away from her current state and.. make her forget about everything." Hatori said slowly.  
  
"Everything? Even us?"  
  
"Yes.. we will all be glimpse in the past for her." he said sadly.  
  
"Don't do it!!!" Yuki shouted in front of him. "Think about it! What if you make her forget then Akito appears and begins to torture her! She will have no idea!"  
  
"Yuki, think about this. Tohru is a friend of ours and she got involve in our lives just because of a simple slip in front of Kyou. She took the risk of being with us and under the hands on Akito. We assured, as always, that she would never get more involved in our curse. But once Akito passes it to her," he paused for a moment, "her life will change forever. She will have more burdens than we do. Soon, she'll get sick and die eventually earlier than us---"  
  
"SHUT UP! You're making Kisa cry!" Hiro screamed as he saw Kisa covering her ears and closed her eyes, protecting herself from the unbearable words Hatori said a while ago.  
  
"That was a bad idea, Hatori! You're so pessimistic!" Kagura added.  
  
"I'm saying the worst so that you can prepare for the worst. Right now, I want you guys to feel free to tell everything you want to say to her. because she might die soon."  
  
"Don't say that like she's a weakling!!!" Kyou stood up and grabbed Hatori's sleeve. "Don't you dare say that again or I'll----"  
  
Then all of them heard something rolling.. from upstairs. Momiji pointed the stairs and a glass went bouncing and rolling until it settled in front of the stairs. "That's.. Tohru's glass.."  
  
Kagura stood up and went to the stairs, checking if it's a ghost or something while the others silently sat still. A silent "oh my god" was heard from Kagura.  
  
"What is it?" Yuki asked. Momiji followed Kagura and he too did the some reaction.  
  
A small figure was sitting on the stairway. It's somewhat silent and shocked. It was Tohru. "Am I..going to die?" she asked silently.  
  
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That's it! I need to research something. bye! 


	9. futile plan

Chapter 9  
  
"Is anybody home?" Hatori asked. It was a quiet home in Shigure's house. He looked around and saw Momiji sat on the end of the stairway. He was a bit quite. Then the young boy looked at the doctor.  
  
"Oh... You're back." he said.  
  
"Tohru's still upstairs, right?" Hatori asked.  
  
"Why are you worried so much? She's safe up there, in case we'll be talking something about her 'death' or something." He said Ironically and left the room. Hatori stared at him and sighed loudly. He soon went upstairs to Tohru's room.  
  
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Yuki planted (for the first time) alone in his secret garden. He was sad about Tohru and knew that she herself had the same feeling. He wondered what she would be doing after what she heard.  
  
After a few moments, he heard whispers behind the bushes. He stood up and made a peek. He saw Kyou and Kagura in a nearby pond. They were talking about something serious. Yuki went closer and listened closely.  
  
"Really?" Kyou asked.  
  
"Yeah, I heard Shigure talking to Akito about something. And I know Tohru's in it." Kagura explained.  
  
"But, why would Akito talk about Tohru?"  
  
"I don't know but later, I heard Shigure inviting Hatori over to do his 'thing'"  
  
"His thing?" Kyou sounded confused and Kagura understood him.  
  
"Yeah, they even argued about it. Shigure then explained that if we all cared for her, we should not let her face this hardship. She mustn't be involved so he need to come over and. do Akito's order." She looked at Kyou and stared at him. "What do you think about it?"  
  
"I don't know." Kyou answered.  
  
"I know.." Yuki stood up, making them surprised. "I think that Hatori's going to. erase her memory."  
  
Both of them were silent. They nodded to each other and they quickly ran toward the house, leaving Kagura behind. "What is this all about?" she asked.  
  
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Hatori sat beside Tohru, who was half asleep. She looked at him, thinking that he was Shigure. "Ah.. I'll be doing lunch today. don't worry.." she whispered.  
  
"It's nearly dinner.. and we'll just buy some food outside. You don't have to worry much, Tohru-kun." He said.  
  
"Shi-san... am I going to die?" she asked. He noticed that he was called in a different name. He grinned at her.  
  
"Not yet... as long as you won't get involved anymore, Tohru-kun." he said calmly. He placed his hand in her forehead and slowly, he covered her eyes. He remembered when he had to erase Kana's memory. It was Akito's order and also, right now, Akito ordered him to do it.  
  
"I guess I don't have a choice." He whispered.  
  
"Yuki.. don't worry about me." She murmured. He stared at her, knowing she was asleep, even thought his hand was still covering her eyes. "Even.if my memory. will be erased. can. can you still be friends. with me?"  
  
He stopped. He remembered Kana crying while he apologized about everything. She was crying too and she also apologized that she can't protect him. He felt bad for a moment..  
  
The door opened and Kyou came in. "Get your hands off her!!!"  
  
Then Yuki came in behind him. "Hatori, what did you do?" then the rest of the Sohmas followed.  
  
Hatori stood up calmly, knowing that he can't do it in front of them. "I'm here for Tohru's health. Remember, I'm her doctor and she's my patient. Right, now, she needed some rest---"  
  
"What is this about?" Kyou asked. All them were silent. Hatori made a small grin.  
  
"Kyou-kun.. she's okay, nothing happened."  
  
"What do you mean 'NOTHING HAPPENED?'" he asked angrily.  
  
"Were you planning something? Then we came in the nick of time that you didn't had the chance to do it, right?" Yuki was searching for an answer. Tohru's fine with them. How come Akito asked Hatori to erase her memory?  
  
Hatori sighed loudly as he stared the two raging Sohmas. "I tell you: She's fine. She'll be okay even though she's too weak to move. I'll be back after a few days to check her out again." Then the doctor left.  
  
"What's the commotion?" Tohru asked as she yawned and stirred from her sleep. Kisa went closer to her and touched her weak hand.  
  
"Did Ojii-san do something to you?" Kisa asked.  
  
"Ano.. Shigure didn't do anything to me.. he just told me that.. that I shouldn't get involved." then her eyes closed and went back to her sleep.  
  
"Stupid girl. Hasn't she noticed that it was Hatori who was beside her?" Hiro grumbled.  
  
"At least she's okay." Kagura giggled. "She looked so cute when she sleeps." She glanced at Yuki then at Kyou. Both of them looked satisfied as they saw Tohru smiling on her sleep. She  
  
"What's our dinner, Kagura-san?" Momiji looked at Kagura who was on her way down to the kitchen. "I can help you!!!"  
  
"Okay. you can slice the onions" Kagura smiled.  
  
"Ne??? How come I always get to do that job???" Momiji cried out but still, he went downstairs after her. The rest followed.  
  
Yuki glanced at Kyou. Both of them were alone in the room with Tohru and Kisa. She was still holding Tohru's hand, not letting it go.  
  
"For the first time.. I did something similar with you." Yuki said. Kyou looked at him and he grinned.  
  
"No this is the second time." He replied. "Remember the time when we are about to go to the main house for New Year until Hana-chan passed by and made us turn back?" Then both of them laughed.  
  
"That was the main reason why I don't want to be close to her." Yuki laughed.  
  
"Hey me too!!!" Kyou laughed hysterically. Kisa stared at them. She was smiling.  
  
"I hope you can be like this forever." She whispered. Both of them were startled and staring at Kisa's eyes. "Onee-chan will be very happy because of this." They made no reaction.  
  
But there was one thing for sure.  
  
They were smiling inside.. and they were happy that they were cousins..  
  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
"So.. Kyou and Yuki interfered." Shigure hissed while Hatori reached in his pocket for his car keys.  
  
"It doesn't matter. We have a few more days left. I need to please Akito before he----" Hatori began but Shigure stooped him by gripping his neck tightly.  
  
"Don't think like that!" Shigure growled. Hatori nodded helplessly and Shigure let him go.  
  
"I'll try again next time. For now, goodbye Shigure." He walked towards his car.  
  
"When will you do it?.. we have a little time left.."  
  
  
  
-=-=-=-=================-=-=-===============-=-=-=-------------------=-  
  
I made it "longer" by adding spaces between it. Hope you like it.. And I hope you understand it also. Please Review! 


	10. unexpected invitation

Chapter 10  
  
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Ei, how are you guys feeling? Me, I'm really quite confused in my story. For me, it seems like I'm going in circles. I already wrote the summaries of Chapters 10-15 in my "special" notebook..and these was already read by my classmates. I'll be posting it soon (if it wasn't for the computer, math and Cl projects of mine, I'll be free typing in the computer but NO!!!). Anyway, let's go on with the story.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------  
  
After a few days, Tohru felt a lot better from her "sickness". She already can stand up from her bed and walk on her own. After some time, she can also cook. This made everyone, especially Shigure, happy.  
  
"ahh." Shigure patted his stomach as he stood up from the table. "Tohru-kun served a very DELICIOUS breakfast. You just made my tummy happy."  
  
"Hai. Tohru-kun. Are you sure that you'll be okay in cooking?" Kagura asked as she finished her bowl.  
  
"I don't really mind. I just don't want to lie down all day." She smiled at them.  
  
"Well, if you feel sick or anything, Hatori advices you to lie down and rest. If not, then that's not a problem, is it?" Yuki smiled at her, which made her blush.  
  
"Oe.. I'm happy that you're okay." Kyou stood up and started to walk out the door until Kagura stopped him.  
  
"You can't just leave! I need you to do the groceries!" Kagura demanded.  
  
"I'm not your plaything. You can't order me around---" Then Kagura began to throw Kyou out of nowhere and send him flying across the backyard.  
  
"YOU CAN'T JUST EXCUSE YOURSELF!!! NOBODY ELSE CAN DO THIS BUT YOU SO YOU SHOULD FOLLOW MY ORDERS! UNDERSTAND?!?!?!! KYOU_KUNNNNNN.... Kyou-Kun?" She looked at Kyou who was lying there helplessly, bleeding to "death". "KYOU- KUN!!! Who did this to you?!?! I'm sorry!?!?!"  
  
"Maybe I should be the one who must do the groceries." Tohru got up and got her purse and jacket.  
  
"No, I will do it." Yuki insisted.  
  
"But I need you all to help Kagura to clean the house and do the laundry." She patted Yuki's shoulder. "I'll be fine, Sohma-kun"  
  
"Well at least take somebody with you---"  
  
"TAKE ME!!!" Momiji raised his hand.  
  
"Wait let me finish my sentence." Yuki glared at his cousin. "Take somebody with you that can THINK and CARRY you home in case you faint or anything."  
  
"I CAN DO IT!!!" Momiji cried out. Just then, Ayame approached them.  
  
"I'll be delightful to help." He cheered. Yuki stared at him. It was pretty rude to ignore his brother but no one else can do it so.  
  
"You're lucky that I'm trusting you." Yuki ignored his pathetic small grin.  
  
"Ah, little brother, I will assure that nothing will happen to Tohru-kun." he promised.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------  
  
"WOW!!! These clothes are so CUTE!!!! They're magnificent and a work of art! You can see the blends from afar and.. I NEED TO KNOW HOW THEY DO THESE CLOTHES!!!!" Ayame pressed his head on a glass window. His eyes were focused on one elegant lady's gown.  
  
"Why don't you ask the storeowner? Maybe he can give you some tips." Tohru suggested.  
  
"HAI! But.. what about you?"  
  
"I'll be in the grocery store. It's either you go there or I'll go---" Tohru started but Ayame raised his hand to silence her.  
  
"I don't want to be a burden. I'll just follow you there." Then he quickly came in the dress shop. Tohru giggled at him.  
  
"Now that fixed my problem. I just want to grocery alone. Thank God this shop is open." She started to walk toward the grocery store. Her mind was drifting when a car stopped beside her.  
  
"Hello.. Tohru kun." She almost jumped when she heard that voice. She glanced at the driver's seat and she saw Hatori staring at her.  
  
"Aah. Hatori-san. Look, I'm fine already, thanks to you." She bowed low and he smiled. somewhat evily.  
  
"Go inside the car." He whispered.  
  
"Ne? But I can walk home---"  
  
"That's not a request, Tohru-kun." He glared at her. She doesn't have a choice so she got inside.  
  
"Where are we going, Hatori-san?"  
  
"To the main house." Then they left quickly.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------  
  
"GONE?!?! What do you mean GONE?!?!" Kyou punched the table, which made everyone jump from their place.  
  
"I'm sorry. I was too busy talking to the storeowner. I suddenly realized that I talked too much so I went to the grocery store and.. she was gone." Ayame explained. " I thought she went home by herself so I went home too."  
  
"You're lucky that Yuki's not here. If he is, You'll be dead in no time!" Momiji scared him.  
  
"What can we do? She could be anywhere in the city." Hiro said.  
  
"We just have to find her." Kyou demanded.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------  
  
Tohru found herself in front of Akito. She was given a cup of tea a while ago but she was too nervous to sip due to his stare.  
  
"You don't like the tea. Tohru-san?" he asked slowly.  
  
"No. it's just that.. you never invited me in the main house before.." she stammered. He gave her a small smile.  
  
"How are you feeling now, Tohru-kun? Did Hatori 'healed' you?" he asked.  
  
"Hai." She smiled at him. She felt a little weird because if she heard it right, Akito sounded. a bit caring.  
  
"Hatori is a fine doctor. You shouldn't regret about being his patient." He explained. Her eyes opened widely. Akito never acted like this before. What is he thinking?  
  
"Aah. akito-san. not to be rude but....may I ask why am I here?" They stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Akito explained.  
  
"Tohru-kun, I want you to understand. Things might go right for you. but to tell you the truth, after days pass by, you will become alone from your hardships despite of your. 'friends' support."  
  
"What do you mean, Akito-san?"  
  
" I mean, people might help you a lot about your sickness but after some time, you'll be left alone and.. you need someone to help you again." He explained deeply. " If you need any help, I would be here to help you."  
  
Wait a second, Akito is willing to help her???  
  
"Akito-san. thank you for your 'support' but.. I still have my friends with me. Their help is enough.." she explained.  
  
"So.. I completely wanted to help you.. but you just ignored it. It's better for others to help you but not me."  
  
"No Akito-san, that's not what I meant----" Akito suddenly dragged her to the floor and he stepped on her face, hard. She was nearly crying and he still was raged.  
  
"Don't you just get it, huh? I tried my best to give considerations about you, Tohru-kun, but you leave me no choice." He started to rip her clothes off.  
  
"Akito! Please stop!!!!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------  
  
"Why in the main house?" Haru asked Kyou, whose fists were tighten as they stared at the front gate.  
  
"I'm not sure.. but this is the last place in my mind." He explained. "Let's go."  
  
They went inside. After a few walking spaces, they saw Hatori standing near Akito's room. "Oe, Tori-san, have you seen Tohru?"  
  
He didn't answer quickly. He just motioned his hand, telling them that she's inside. Kyou went inside and he can't believe what he saw.  
  
He saw Akito sitting at the edge of his futon, drinking some tea. Tohru was lying on HIS futon, half naked and unconscious.  
  
"What.. what.happened." kyou asked silently.  
  
"Ah. you should have seen it.. To tell you the truth..,,," Akito smiled at him. "I never felt so good in years."  
  
Kyou went towards him and gripped his neck. "What did you just say??!?!!"  
  
"Really, I could die. happy now." he smiled weakly. This made Kyou grip his neck even harder. Hatori went in to stop him.  
  
"Don't think like that Kyou. It's not what you think!"  
  
"He said he can die! SO I can KILL HIM NOW!!!" He tried to kill him, but Hatori was holding him back.  
  
Yuki suddenly came in. He heard and saw everything. He just plainly stared at the helpless Tohru and Haru looked at him. He was deeply moved by his expression. 


	11. something's not right

Chapter 11  
  
After spreading the word, all of them were silent.  
  
"Why would Akito do such a thing?" Haru asked. True. For so many years, Akito prevented them to love anyone even their own cousins because no one could understand their burden more than he did.. but.  
  
"I never... knew that... Akito will be so." Shigure searched the right word to fit in his sentence.  
  
"Seductive" Hiro replied silently.  
  
"MORE Seductive than Shigure, I should say." Ayame corrected.  
  
"Ayame-san, you shouldn't say that. I would never hurt Tohru-kun like that. She is my sun, my earth, my moon, my COOK, my inspiration, my---" Shigure enumerated.. "my life." Then there was silence in the room.  
  
"I wish nothing like this happened." Kisa cried. She covered her face and wept bitterly like she lost somebody she loved. Hiro wrapped his arm around her to comfort her.  
  
"Don't cry, Kisa. It'll be okay---"  
  
"OKAY?!?! Onee-chan's sick.. Then Akito-san just.. just.." the she wept even more.  
  
Kagura ran inside and stared everybody. "HE'S NOT HERE?!? Where could he be? Have you seen him?"  
  
"Um, Kagura, almost all of us are 'HE'." Shigure explained. "Were you looking for me?"  
  
"Why would I look for you? I'm looking for Kyou. I heard that he's really angry about what happened. So I decided to buy him something but I can't find him. Do you know where he is?" She asked quickly.  
  
"He's in the roof, Kagura." Ayame replied.  
  
"Okidoki!" She quickly left but Hatsuharu stopped her. "What is it? I'm not yet cooking because it's not yet dinner!"  
  
"No. You can't just go up there and cheer him up." He explained as he stared at her.  
  
"Why? I'm not bothering him or anything."  
  
"No. After what happened, he became really depressed. Remember, as soon as we came back, he can't even look at Tohru. He just feels.. so weak that he couldn't help her anymore. So he climbed to the roof and got some fresh air." He gripped her arm tighter. " So, you need to leave him alone.. or else.."  
  
"Okay. I will. To tell you the truth, I can't see the point why Kyou doesn't want somebody to cheer him up." She snorted and went back inside.  
  
Haru snickered. "Tohru was the ONLY one who cheered him up."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------  
  
Yuki placed his hand above Tohru's. He never let his eyes drift away. He gazed at her for so long, waiting for her to open her eyes, to smile, to greet him like she used to. But now, she looked helpless, unconscious and nothing to do.  
  
He already missed her, even if he was just beside her. "I just wished nothing like this had happened." He whispered. He laid his head on her bed. He thought about the good times... the bad times.. the---  
  
"Yuki." Haru went inside the room. "Do you need anything?"  
  
"Nothing, Haru-san.. Nothing much.." He said sadly. He felt Haru's warm hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine. It's good that she's back home."  
  
"Yuki."  
  
"Don't cheer me up. Haru. This is not what I really expected to happen. Not on Tohru." he shook his head and hid his eyes behind his long bangs. Haru can tell that he's crying a bit so he patted his shoulder.  
  
"Hatori's downstairs. In case you wanted to---" Yuki got up quickly and left the room. "Wait Yuki. He's here to explain!"  
  
"Then I'll be there to hear him out!!!" He went down the stairs and found Hatori sitting beside Ayame and the others. "Get out of this room. I need to talk to this bastard."  
  
Shigure stood in front of Hatori to protect him from his raging cousin. "Hold on, Yuki. He's here to explain---"  
  
"I said I'm here to HEAR him out! So get out of the way, Shigure!" He fought his way but Shigure was much older and much stronger too.  
  
"Let me finish my sentence. He's here to explain the PEACEFUL way. He doesn't need to be fought." Shigure pushed Yuki aside.  
  
"On which side are you Shigure?!? He also supports Akito's plan! Don't you even care about Tohru?!?!" Yuki screamed at him. Haru was already holding him back but he cannot just change to black H just to prevent Yuki from hurting someone.  
  
"I'm. on your side Yuki but Hatori has something to explain."  
  
"I don't want to hear anymore LIES!!!" Yuki struggled free and was about to punch the doctor but---  
  
"He didn't have sex with her!!!" Hatori yelled at him. Yuki stopped and so did everyone else.  
  
"What.. did you just say?" he whispered.  
  
"It might look he did but he didn't." he explained. "He didn't 'DO' it to her."  
  
"But. how come she's naked? How come she's in his futon? How come she's unconscious?" he asked quickly.  
  
"He just. did something else to her."  
  
"Then what is it?" Yuki asked.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------  
  
"Hey." Haru climbed to the roof and sat beside Kyou. "It's a little bit chilly out here. You might catch cold. Why don't you come back inside?"  
  
"I don't need to. In the mountains, I have no shelter. I sit all day on the tree and nothing happened to me. Same perspective when I'm in the roof, except this is much lower than the mountains." He stared at the sky blankly, ignoring Haru's grin.  
  
"Kagura's worried about you."  
  
"Make her worry. I don't care." Kyou replied.  
  
"You're heartless when it comes to Kagura."  
  
"I'm not that heartless.. not like Akito." He explained slowly. "Even if I had my turn, I won't hurt Tohru, I mean, Kagura like that. I'll respect her. like she respects me."  
  
"Um. I kind of confused. Are we talking about Kagura? Or someone ELSE?" He stared at his cousin. Kyou didn't answer him.  
  
"So. I heard Hatori came to visit. What did he do this time, carry Tohru again to the main house or something?"  
  
"No. He just explained the real truth." Haru said. "Akito didn't do anything to her."  
  
Kyou stared at him. "ANYTHING?"  
  
"Well he did. But not the seductive thing." he said.  
  
"He didn't rape her?!" Kyou started to jump chaotically on the roof. He was so happy he couldn't control himself.  
  
"HEY! My house will be demolished after I die. I'm not yet dead so DON'T WRECK IT, BAKA NEKO!!!!" Shigure shouted.  
  
"Wow. That's the first time Shigure called you that. And he's right too. If you're going to jump endlessly like you're going to reach the heavens, try doing that on a treetop instead." Haru suggested. Soon, Kyou stopped jumping.  
  
"I can't believe it! She's still a virgin!" then he met a stare from Haru. "Well..it's good for her, right? I meant that she's too young to have a child or anything."  
  
"I hope that new cheered you up like it cheered up Yuki." He said. "Now, can you come down? Kagura won't stop worrying if you'll be up here all night for no reason."  
  
"Oh. Okay." He jumped down and, exactly after, he met a hug from Kagura.  
  
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, KYOU-KUN?!?! ARE YOU ON THE ROOF AGAIN?!?! I'LL TELL THAT SHIGURE TO PLACE BARB WIRE ALL OVER THE ROOF IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN!!!" she hugged Kyou tightly like a her special teddy bear. "I missed you so much, Kyou-kun!!!"  
  
"Hey, I'm just on the roof for a while.." He struggled free and ran across the backyard.  
  
"Wait Kyou-kun! I forgot to give you my gift!" Kagura shouted as she chased him.  
  
"Check your calendar, Kagura! It's not my birthday yet!"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!!!!!" she gathered her pace and jumped on top of him. The poor cat landed on the mud.  
  
"Foolish cat." Haru said to himself. "He still didn't asked what happened to Tohru."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------  
  
Yuki sat beside Tohru. He smiled a bit. He was a little happy that nothing "sexual" happened to her. But still he is bothered about what Hatori said before he left.  
  
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_*Flashback*_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_  
  
"So what do you mean 'did something to her'?" Yuki asked.  
  
"Well, Akito said he passed his position to her." he explained.  
  
"That means SHE is our new CLAN HEAD?" Momiji asked and he sounded excited.  
  
"If that's what I heard, Yes it's true." Everyone started to jump hysterically. Then they heard somebody jumping on the roof.  
  
"Kyou has good ears." Hiro said amusingly. They didn't really know that Kyou was jumping for another reason.  
  
"How come you're worried, Tori? It's good right?" Shigure gave a friendly nudge but somehow, this didn't cheer him up.  
  
"It's quite weird. I mean, why would Akito give her his position. I mean, why not anybody else? Why not a Sohma?" Hatori asked.  
  
"Who cares? Tohru is going to be our clan head. And that's what she wanted right? Being a part of a family, a Sohma? To be with us?" Yuki glanced at Hatori, whose expression was still unreadable. "What's wrong, Hatori?"  
  
"I'm thinking.. Do you think that. Tohru will be like Akito? I mean, act LIKE him?" he stressed the question making the room silent again.  
  
"Tohru-kun? That can't happen. I mean, She uplifted, energetic, blissful young lass! And Akito. well. he's quite the opposite. And the odds are so low! That can't happen." Shigure said.  
  
"But Akito looked.. pleased when he shared to me his plan. He's expecting something.. something weird.. And I believe it is about Tohru." The doctor looked a lot more worried than anybody.  
  
"There will be a big change from now on, right?" Momiji asked them Hatori.  
  
"I guess so, Momiji." Haru replied instead  
  
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_  
  
"Big change huh? That's can't happen. What Shigure said was right." He glanced at the peaceful Tohru. "It very impossible for her to change so fast. Not like her." he smiled at her and left the room.  
  
Tohru wasn't asleep after all. She opened her eyes and looked at Yuki as he left. She smiled mysteriously and snickered.  
  
"Pathetic." she whispered 


	12. The new Tohru

Chapter 12  
  
----------  
  
Sorry if you guys waited long. I'm trying to brainstorm for a while but I just can't. I already submitted my projects and...well.. I survived. Here is the chapter 12 anyway.  
  
--------  
  
Akito's Death day... was really unexplainable.  
  
The ceremony was finished a few hours ago. All of the Sohmas were there (even Ritsu) and all of them were silent. They couldn't explain what they really feel. Yes, Akito's gone and they are free from his cruel intentions but deep down, they lost a clan head and a Sohma so it's natural for them to feel down.  
  
"Why are we like this?" Momiji asked. "Akito's dead. We should be out there celebrating..but.."  
  
"We just can't leave his grave like that." Hatori kept his head down to cover his face from his cousins. Shigure patted his shoulder.  
  
"Well, we have to go on without him.." he said.  
  
"Yeah...with Tohru as our clan head" Hiro whispered.  
  
"Onee-chan..wasn't here in the ceremony, right?" All of them looked around. Few Sohmas stayed near Akito's grave. But somehow, none of them saw Tohru.  
  
"Maybe she's too sick to move---" Momiji stared at the grave. "---just like Akito." Yuki became a little worried about this. What if Tohru really became Akito?  
  
-------  
  
"Home at last." Hatori sighed as he parked his car outside and went inside the main house. It still looked quiet even if Akito is not around anymore.  
  
Suddenly, a servant went towards him. "Sir, Lady Tohru would like to talk to you." Lady Tohru? He snickered. She did welcome herself in the main house.  
  
"Ok. I'll go to her room." He started to leave but he stopped and looked again at the servant. "Um. where's her room, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, she is now the new clan head so she is in the late Akito's room right now." The servant replied and left him.  
  
------  
  
"Ah, what's our food for today? Ne?" Shigure cheerfully asked everyone. They stared at him like he's never been in HIS OWN house before.  
  
"Shigure, Tohru was the one who cooks YOUR food. And where's Tohru now?" Hatsuharu glared at him. The novelist began to feel "shaky all over"  
  
"You mean. we won't be eating Tohru's dishes anymore?"  
  
"What do you expect? A clan head cooking for somebody like.. you?" Kyou snickered. "Forget it, Shigure. Life starting now will be different." He said.  
  
"a.I'll ask Kagura to cook for me then."  
  
"Too late." Ayame said. "She took the little ones out for breakfast."  
  
"Including Momiji? He's not little!" Shigure wondered.  
  
"Then if he's considered little, Hatsuharu should be with them." Yuki giggled.  
  
"Don't start it, YUKI.." Haru warned him. Just then, the phone rang. Ayame walked towards it and picked it up.  
  
"Hello..TORI-KUN!!! How are you?...Yuki? Yes, he's here. Why?..Aww, don't you want to talk to me?..So Yuki's more important than me???..Ahh.." Ayame looked at his little brother. "It's Tori-kun. He said that it's important."  
  
Yuki got the handset and started talking to the doctor. "Hai, Yuki here."  
  
"Yuki..remember what I told you about the changes in Tohru? That she might act like Akito?" the doctor asked. Yuki took a minute to think, hoping that it's not true.  
  
"Yeah..I guess. What about it?" he asked.  
  
"Well... I guess my theory is true---"  
  
"WHAT?!?!?!----" he screamed on the phone but Hatori cut through.  
  
"----partially, Yuki! Partially only. She just acted like him a while ago." the doctor explained.  
  
"What happened?" Yuki asked.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Flashback-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
Hatori went inside Akito's room, where he saw Tohru lying on a futon, staring at window. "You called me?"  
  
"Hai..I want you to dismiss..every servant we have in this house." She said. Hatori was in a state of shock. First of all, Tohru's voice was pleasant and sweet but what he heard was harsh and unforgiving, just like Akito's.  
  
"You heard me?" Tohru asked again.  
  
"Yes but..why? We need them---You need them." Hatori explained. Tohru stared at him blankly. Her eyes were so dim and straightforward. She showed no reaction until she grinned at him.  
  
"Are you..suggesting, Hatori-san?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I think, for your health." he replied.  
  
"Guess what? I think I don't need you too." She stood up and shoved the doctor towards the door. "Get out of my house!"  
  
"This is not your house! You are just a successor! YOU ARE NOT AKITO!" he yelled at her. For a second, she looked startled and confused. She whispered something but Hatori didn't hear it. Then she got back to her evil sense and stared at the doctor.  
  
"I..am..Akito." Then she closed the door.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"She said that?" Yuki asked again. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Tohru is Akito.  
  
"I heard it right and..I think this is not connected to her health." Tori sighed loudly. "Something's going on with Tohru. I mean, she wanted the main house to be empty and she's not concerned about her health."  
  
"How is she anyway?"  
  
"She had the same weak health like Akito but this one is much worse." He explained.  
  
"I see. We'll try to talk to her."  
  
"No, Yuki. I suggest that you should give her some time. Maybe Akito inserted a drug so that he could control her or something. Maybe it will wear off for a few days." The doctor again replied.  
  
"Okay. Let's hope that this theory is correct. I better go now, Tori, I need to tell the others about this." Before Yuki could hang up---  
  
"Yuki, wait!"  
  
"What is it, Tori-san?"  
  
"Do you have an extra futon there?" the doctor asked.  
  
--------------------  
  
That night at the main house, Tohru was sleeping on Akito's futon peacefully. Then suddenly, she began to twist and turn, not enjoying her dream. Her eyes were tightly shut but even so, her tears rushed out. She felt pain in her dream and she couldn't wake up. She murmured weakly: "I didn't failed you..Akito-san..." She cried in her sleep 


	13. Hatori's plan

Chapter 13  
  
New Year's Eve  
  
The Sohmas sat around the dinner table that night. They were enjoying their meal. But somehow, they felt something's lacking.  
  
"ano...New year again.." Momiji mumbled in his meal.  
  
"Hai, but today, Tohru's not with us" Yuki replied. For months, Tohru refused to talk to anyone. It was proven with the help of Ayame's servants in his shop. They spied on the main house for days. But not even one day, Tohru went out of the house.  
  
Also, Kisa tried calling but Tohru refused to answer.  
  
Mail? No. She ignored every mail and left it outside the gate.  
  
Even if they yelled in front of the main house all day, she won't respond.  
  
They can't think of anything or anyway she could survive inside that house without food or drink. What kept her alive? No one really knew..  
  
Unless..  
  
"Tori-san, is Tohru's sickness..deadly?" Kisa finally asked. All of them stared at the doctor who was also silent.  
  
"Maybe, unless she won't take care of herself." The doctor replied. Just then, Kyou stood up.  
  
"What are we waiting for? We all knew that she could die there. We should visit her or something!" he demanded.  
  
"But remember what she said last time? She doesn't want any Sohma approaching that place." Kagura tried to calm him down.  
  
"But she's our friend. She did a lot of things for us last time. Now, we need to do something for her." Kyou stopped as Hatori was grinning at him. "What did I say?"  
  
"I haven't told anyone yet about this. It's suppose to be a surprise so.."  
  
"What is it?" Shigure asked. He sounded a bit childish.  
  
"Ok. I know how to settle this. We could get Tohru out of the house and at the same time, out of our lives" The Sohmas were glaring at him when he said "out of our lives". It sounded a bit suspicious.  
  
"Okay, spill it out!" Kagura screeched.  
  
"Police" was the only word the doctor said. All of them began to feel uneasy. Police?  
  
"Don't think, Tori..do you mean---" Ayame began but Tori cut in.  
  
"I called the police and told them about the current situation." He explained. "Tomorrow we have the warrant to go in and arrest Tohru so that we could have our main house back."  
  
"Wait a minute. Arrest Tohru? It's not arrest as in arrest then go to jail, right?" Yuki asked but a grin was the thing he got from him. "No way."  
  
"Yes, Yuki. We'll arrest Tohru. A real arrest."  
  
"But she's our friend.. a clan head! We can't just arrest her!" Yuki said.  
  
"There are reasons. First, Tohru might be the clan head but Akito didn't mention that Tohru would get the main house. According to the police, it's stealing private property. She disobeyed the law so she should be arrested." He explained. "Next, even though she's the clan head, she's weak and outnumbered. I'll just send the police force and she'll give up!"  
Silence  
  
"Isn't my plan great or what?" the doctor smiled at himself, knowing that his own plan is unbeatable.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Kisa asked him.  
  
"Kisa, sometimes you need to sacrifice things so that you could achieve what you desperately want. Right now, a falsely chosen clan head dismissed us. We own that house and we have the right to get it back. If Tohru won't give it to us, then we'll take it by force."  
  
"You don't need to arrest Tohru. She can live with us! Please Tori, stop this!" Kyou demanded.  
  
"I already gave the order and police said," the doctor said calmly, "they'll start the operation tomorrow morning."  
  
"You're mad!" Shigure clutched Hatori's neck and gripped it tightly.  
  
"Go ahead and kill me! Even so, the police won't stop the operation. Also, you'll be arrested for killing me!" he growled in between breaths. Slowly, Shigure released him.  
  
"Hatori, please stop this. Tohru's our friend. We all care about her. I know you do also. Then why are you doing this?" Yuki asked patiently. The doctor looked at him.  
  
"She's not the Tohru I knew, that's all." He explained. "She's brutal and inconsiderate, just like Akito. I'm solving this problem once and for all and none of you can stop me about this. Good night." He went uptairs and to his room.  
  
"This is an awful new year." Momiji mumbled again.  
  
"We have to do something to stop Hatori." Kyou said.  
  
"But we can't. He's the eldest (?) of us all. And he's the one that controls the operation." Kagura sadly said.  
  
"If we can't stop him, then there's only one thing we can do." Yuki whispered.  
  
"Tell the police?" Hiro guessed but Yuki shook his head.  
  
"No, we need to talk to Tohru about this."  
  
"But she won't answer the phone nor the mail." Ayame said  
  
"I know, so that's why we need to sneak in."  
  
"In the main house?" Kisa asked.  
  
Yuki nodded. "Yes, in the main house." "But we need somebody to stall Hatori or to guard him in his sleep." Kagura said.  
  
"Shigure and Ayame will." Haru suggested. Both of them were freaked out when they heard their names.  
  
"Are you crazy? We can't just----" Shigure startled.  
  
"I'm counting on you, Shigure..Onii-chan.." Yuki whispered. Ayame smiled and hugged him.  
  
"Oh my, this is the best day of my life!!!! Don't worry, little brother, I will do as you wish and I will assure you that I won't fail this suicidal once-in-a-lifetime mission!!!" he declared.  
  
"You're just going to guard him. NOW LET GO!!!" he struggled free but Ayame hugged him even tighter.  
  
"I can't just let you go, dear brother. I think I'm..going to miss you.." he "wiped a tear" from his eye dramatically.  
  
"Oh, please, stop it, Aya-san." Shigure patted his friend's shoulder. "We have a mission to fulfill!"  
  
"Right. Be back soon, little brother!"  
  
"Whatever.. The Ritsu and the kids will also stay with you.."  
  
"Ha!!" Momiji laughed at Hiro.  
  
"Uh..that includes you, twerp." Kyou patted Momiji's head.  
  
"NE?????"  
  
----------------------------  
  
That night, Yuki and the others sneaked inside the main house. Since they were trained for martial arts, sneaking in may not be a problem. After a few minutes, Yuki, Kyou, Haru and Kagura are in.  
  
"What should we do now?" Kagura asked.  
  
"Find Akito's room. Tohru might be there." Yuki suggested. They split up and searched for Tohru.  
  
Yuki alone went inside this room. He saw Tohru's things. He was surprised because instead of placing it inside the cabinets, her clothes were inside a paper bag.  
  
"Maybe she was too uncomfortable to live here." He whispered. His eyes caught something on the nearby table. It was the ribbon he gave to Tohru when they were celebrating White Day with Momiji. "I wish you were here." He held the ribbon in his hand and clutched in near his chest.  
  
It was a peaceful atmosphere until Kagura stormed in the room where Yuki was. He spun around and he saw his cousin panting heavily. "Would you keep quiet? If Tohru heard us---"  
  
"Tohru's not here!" she cut in. She went closer to him and showed a note she found in a room.  
  
Yuki read the note slowly.. and his eyes opened wide and he let out a loud gasp.  
  
It was a suicidal note..in Tohru's handwriting.. 


	14. Tohru's escape

Chapter 14  
  
----Hi to everyone! Thanks for reviewing and supporting my story. It will be over soon and all of your questions ( I hope) will be answered. Have fun!----  
  
A suicidal note? Why?  
  
Yuki ran outside the main house, clutching the note in his hand. "Honda- san, you can't just..kill yourself.." he whispered.  
  
-----------------------  
  
"Oe, we're too far away from the main house. Maybe we should go back." Haru warned him. Kyou didn't seem to hear him. He just kept on observing his surroundings.  
  
It was getting dark, even though it's 2:00 in the afternoon. Rain clouds are getting thicker and, of course, since there were rain clouds, there's rain.  
  
"Did you just hear what I said?" the cow growled at him. "It's going to rain. And we are outside the main house. So.. there's a great possibility that we're going to get wet! RIGHT???"  
  
It was too late. Soon, small droplets came then it was a quick downpour. Kyou didn't notice it because he was too busy looking for something.  
  
"Hey! It already----"  
  
"Did you hear that?" Kyou asked suddenly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you hear something? It's in the forest. Just right there." He pointed towards the road to Shigure's house. "Someone's running."  
  
"So what? Maybe that's Yuki on his way home." All of a sudden, Kyou ran towards that direction. "Hey! Where are you going?"  
  
"I heard somebody.." Kyou wondered. "Somebody weakly running. I have to find out who that is. It might be----" Then he stopped.. and stared a body struggling weakly in a nearby rock.  
  
"Tohru." He whispered. Tohru looked behind her and stared at him. She gave him grin but somehow, it's weak and unnatural. "What are you doing----"  
  
"I'm not just the person.. you expected me to be, Kyou-kun.." she spoke softly. She tried the stand up but the road was slippery and also (yes I said it a lot of times) weak to stand.  
  
Kyou kneeled beside her and held her tightly against him. She was shoving him off but Kyou resisted. "You should be taken to Hatori.. or maybe, to the hospital."  
  
"No.leave me." She said.  
  
"But you're hurt. You need medicine. Be strong Tohru. You'll be okay---"  
  
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE TO DIE!!!!" Her voice rang with the thunder. She slid back to the rock and wept bitterly.  
  
What should I do? Kyou asked himself.  
  
"Just leave me here." She whispered. "I didn't deserve to live.. I was born to die, anyway."  
  
"So, you said the same thing Akito said (last episode)" Yuki appeared behind Tohru. "You're just going to die then. What are you going to say next? Nobody cares about you?"  
  
"Why? Did anybody cared about me? After what I heard Hatori talking with the police on the other end, do you think I should believe you?!" she said.  
  
"You heard.." Yuki whispered. "But that doesn't mean we are all at it. To tell you the truth, we are all against Akito."  
  
"Liar"  
  
"How come you're like that?" Kyou asked.  
  
"This is what I should act, right? I'm the clan head and I should be strict and immoral, just like Akito." She grinned. "I'm just not the person you're expecting me to be."  
  
"Why are like this?" Haru asked.  
  
"What do you mean? I already answered the question."  
  
"Your eyes are swelling." Kagura said.  
  
"I-I didn't get enough sleep." She replied.  
  
"No, that's not sleep." Kyou observed. "You were crying, aren't you?"  
  
"No..." she startled. "I won't be crying."  
  
"Honda-san." Yuki kneeled beside her. "Don't lie to us. For almost a year and a half, you lived with us and we already observed your ways. You were crying.. so don't lie." His hand touched her cheek. She stared at him, this time, in an innocent manner.  
  
"Ne, the weather's getting worse out here. Maybe we should go back." Haru suggested as he smoothen his wet shirt.  
  
"Hai. Maybe we should go back home." Kagura smiled. "Go back at Shigure's house---"  
  
"Please no." she said quickly. "I should go back to the main house."  
  
"But, somebody should go with you." Kagura suggested. "You're sick and you need some help."  
  
"I can manage." She resisted in a higher tone. She got up but with the help of Kyou's support. "Okay, maybe I need someone."  
  
"I'm coming." Yuki said quickly. He looked at Kyou. "You can come too, baka neko."  
  
"Kuso...Kuso NEZOMI!!!" He was about to kick his ass but Kagura gave him a stern look, warning him not to. He soon calmed down. "Hai, I'll be coming too..but that doesn't mean we're friends, Yuki!"  
  
"Suit yourself---" Yuki stopped and glanced at Tohru. He couldn't believe what his eyes saw.  
  
Tohru was giggling.. not mysteriously but happily and innocently.  
  
"Tohru." Kyou whispered.  
  
"..sorry if I giggled. It's just that...I haven't seen Kyou-kun and Yuki- kun fight like that." Then she continued giggling until her body was too weak to support her. She began to collapse but Kyou caught her.  
  
"We should get out of here. Make sure Hatori won't let the police arrest Tohru" Kyou said.  
  
"Okay, be careful" Kagura waved before they ran back home.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Oh, my..I haven't entered this house in years." Kyou sounded amazed. Yuki cleared his throat to catch his attention.  
  
"Maybe you should find spare clothes in the servant's room---"  
  
"SERVANT CLOTHES??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????" Kyou shouted.  
  
"Well, you're soaking wet. In case you get sick, I won't be taking care of you." Yuki explained sternly.  
  
"I know but..servant clothes?" Kyou asked  
  
"Ne." Tohru struggled to talk normally. "Use Hatori's spare clothes. It's just a room away."  
  
"Now that's better." Kyou left the room. Yuki guided Tohru towards Akito's room and laid her in a futon.  
  
"Are you okay? Do you need anything, Honda----"  
  
"Please Yuki. Stop calling me that." Tohru smiled at him. "I'm already part of your clan, right?"  
  
He smiled back. "Hai, if that's what you wished for, Tohru-kun. So, do you really need anything?"  
  
"Nothing..I'm just happy that you're here near me." She reached out her hand and clutched his hand. "Maybe you should change your clothes. You too are soaking wet."  
  
"I just can't leave you here. I'll wait for baka neko to come back."  
  
"Yuki?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"Am I really that bac in front of Hatori?" she asked.  
  
"Ne, don't think about it. You'll be fine and Hatori will forgive you. Get some rest, okay?" he suggested.  
  
"Arigato, Yuki-kun." Then she fell asleep. 


	15. a helping hand

Chapter 15  
  
---------------------------  
  
Hi! Sorry if I updated so slow. I just need to finish some. "things" here at home. On with the story.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"What do you mean?" Kyo asked the nezumi, which is somewhat awkward. Yuki stared at his cousin.  
  
The next day, all of the Sohmas, except the three elides (gure, aya and tori), were called by Yuki that night to meet him at the main house. They all went but didn't know what he's up to. When it was nearly dawn, Yuki told them about what he suspected and they don't believe him.  
  
"You just heard me. I believe Akito's hunting her." he concluded. "In her dreams, perhaps."  
  
"But what's your proof, Yuki?" Kagura asked.  
  
"Follow me." He walked out the door and the others followed. They silently went to Akito's room, which was now Tohru's sleeping chambers. "Don't make a noise. She might wake up."  
  
He opened the door slowly and they saw Tohru in Akito's futon. She was stirring in her sleep, breathing huskily, and sweat covered her from head to toe. Her body suddenly became stiff and her hands were numb. They approached her cautiously and knelt beside her.  
  
"How long was she like this?"  
  
"I don't know but it seems like this was her problem." Yuki said.  
  
"Damn that Akito! What did he do to her?!" Kyo hissed.  
  
"Keep your voice down." Haru warned. "She's waking up."  
  
Tohru opened her eyes a bit and saw the Sohmas looking back at her. She was near panicking because they might notice her from her sleep. Yuki smiled at her.  
  
"Don't worry, Tohru. We're here for you." He said. Tohru sat up and stared at them. Did they really know?  
  
"Onee-chan." Kisa whispered. "You'll be okay." She crawled towards the onigiri and embraced her tightly.  
  
"So you knew." Tohru murmured.  
  
"But still, we'll do anything to help." Haru grinned. "Remember, you're part of the family now."  
  
"But this is something different from the past things about Akito." She frowned. "I'm the only one who can see him in my dreams."  
  
"And we're here to support." Yuki held her hand and grasped it tightly. "We'll never leave your side, Tohru. We're always here for you."  
  
"Hai, count on us, Tohru-chan!" Momiji beamed.  
  
"We might not see him but we can see you." Kyo gave a thumbs up. "It'll work out soon."  
  
"Arigato..but what about Hatori? He's still against me, right?" Tohru asked.  
  
"Well, he is but. Ayame and Shigure can handle him." Haru said. "But for now, I think we need to get you something to eat."  
  
"Hai, I am a bit hungry.." Tohru smiled innocently to her relatives.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
After they ate at a fancy restaurant, all of them decided to have a hot bath. Momiji suggested to go to the place where they usually spent White Day last time.  
  
Of course, someone was there to welcome them.  
  
"Ritsu???" they gasped as they saw Ritsu, to their surprise, in a modern guy's suit. His hair was cut short like Shigure's and with his outfit, he looked so mature like Hatori that even Tohru couldn't recognize him!  
  
"That's. Ritsu?" She asked.  
  
"Tohru-chan, welcome! I was hoping that you'll be spending your birthday here so I dressed up to please you!" the monkey bowed low. "I'm changed because of the words you told me back at Gure's house before death came to me."  
  
"Ano, Ritsu-san---"  
  
"Please call me Ritsu, anyway, we're already cousins right?"  
  
"Knock it off, Ristu!" Momiji yelled. "What is this all about?"  
  
"And what's with the funny clothes---" Haru commented  
  
"And the funny accent?" Hiro asked annoyingly. All of them sweatdropped as Ritsu's face became all worried.  
  
"I dressed like this to impress.. Tohru-chan." He turned to Tohru. "Did I miss something?"  
  
"Ano, it's because---" Tohru began but he held up his hand and showed a face of "despair and sorrow", just like the old Ritsu does.  
  
"I knew it. I tried everything but I couldn't impress Tohru that much. I'm a failure, no good pathetic dimwit who couldn't do anything but to put his fellow friends and relatives in shame and embarrassment. Even though I tried everything, even changed my appearance, the mark of failure is still there and it will appear and disappear like grains of sand that were blown away by the wind." Ritsu cried. All of them sweatdropped and Tohru was totally confused.  
  
"It's not that Ritsu---"  
  
"No, I shouldn't blame yourself, like everybody does." He smiled at her weakly. "People tried to cheer me up with that expression but now.. I should..apologize."  
  
"No, Ritsu, you---" everyone tried to stop him but---  
  
"GOMENASAI! GOMENASAI, TOHRU-CHAN! PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I AM JUST A SINNER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" He cried out as he grabbed Tohru on the shoulders and shook her unvoluntarily. "PLEASE LET ME MAKE UP FROM MY WRETCH ATTITUDE!!!"  
  
"Rit-su-chan~~" she sweatdropped.  
  
"PLEASE DON'T LOOK AT ME WITH YOUR EYES OF PITY. I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT ME LIKE AN ENEMY, BECAUSE WHAT I DID WAS WORSE THAN WHAT AKITO DID TO YOU"  
  
Tohru stopped from her silly work as she stared at Ritsu. He knew also, she thought. She looked down on the floor with her sad face while Kyo smacked Ritsu at the back of his head. "You stupid fool! We went here so that we would cheer her up from that 'incident'!" the cat barked. (what?!)  
  
Ritsu looked at them. "oh my. I'm sorry, Tohru-chan, I didn't know---"  
  
"Here we go again." Hiro sighed. "Kisa, do you want to go to your room? You looked sleepy."  
  
"Hai, Hiro." she nodded as both of them left.  
  
"GOMENASAI, TOHRU-CHAN!!!!" he knelt in front of her and bowed lowly like a disciple in front of a raging God. "PLEASE FORGIVE ME, TOHRU-CHAN!!!!"  
  
"Ne, you don't have to apologize." Tohru smiled weakly. Yuki's face became worried. He knew that Tohru remembered again about Akito, which made her look scared and worried for a moment.  
  
"But, Tohru-chan---"  
  
"It's okay. I'm happy that you found the right path to manhood, ritsu- chan." She smiled. "Oh yes, it's not my birthday today."  
  
"What?! Then..I just failed again.. TOHRU---" Before he could say anything, Kyo covered his mouth roughly with a pillow.  
  
"I hate it when you apologize." He muttered.  
  
"I hate it when I remembered that you are my cousin." Haru muttered also to Ritsu. "If you aren't, I would have killed you years ago, stupid monkey."  
  
Ritsu again became very worried. "What? Then that means...I have to---"  
  
"DON'T APOLOGIZE!!!" they screamed.  
  
------------------------------  
  
It was nearly midnight when Yuki heard noises outside. "Must be baka neko," he muttered. But still, he got up and went outside to see.  
  
To his surprise, he saw Tohru kneeling in the middle of the hall, weeping. He quickly went towards her and calmed her down. "Tohru, what happened? Is something wrong?"  
  
She didn't answer. Instead, she leaned against him and cried even more. Yuki patted her back gently and continued to say comforting word like "I'm here, don't worry" and "it's okay." After a few moments, Tohru's cries faded away. "I saw him."  
  
"Akito?" he asked and she nodded. "What is he doing?"  
  
"Cursing. and warning me." she whispered. "Not to get carried away."  
  
"Carried away from what?" he asked. She didn't answer his question. She just muttered "he's going to kill me" over and over again.  
  
"Tohru, tell me. How is he going to kill you when he's already dead?" he smiled at her. "Let his soul rest, Tohru. It's the best way to escape from his reappearances to you---"  
  
"But his soul won't rest until..I finish the job.."  
  
"What job?" he asked. She didn't answer. "Why won't you tell me?"  
  
"I..I just can't..." she wiped a small tear from her eye. "Are you going to tell the others?"  
  
"Maybe not."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it might reach to Ritsu." He smiled. "And you know what will happen when it does." Tohru laughed at Yuki's joke and he laughed also. "That's the Tohru, I would like to see everyday."  
  
"Huh?" she wondered.  
  
"Don't let Akito take away that smile, okay?" he asked and she nodded slowly. "Ne, I haven't really done this before but..I think this might help you sleep better."  
  
"What is it?" she asked. He reached out to hug her and he whispered silently in her ear.  
  
"You can sleep beside me tonight."  
  
"But---"  
  
"Don't worry." He grinned. "Baka neko won't mind when you do."  
  
"Yuki." she smiled slowly. "Thank you."  
  
"Just tell me one thing." He said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Remember that time when we found you sleeping in Akito's room? Did he do 'something' to you?" he asked. Tohru stared at him. He won't understand. Even though he acted more mature than her, he won't understand.  
  
"Ano. nothing." she whispered.  
  
"Okay. Let's go to sleep." He smiled as he guided her to his room. She held his hand tightly, knowing that someday, Yuki might know.  
  
"Gomenasai, Yuki-kun" she said to herself. 


	16. confessions

_I should keep doing this!_

_At last, it took me a long time to decide. Now, I am ready to continue this story, and end it as well. Instead of erasing it from existence, I took the shot of continuing it. _

_God Help me._

_Oh yeah, I have to change it Tragedy because… well, I know you're already guessing why._

* * *

The main grew quiet. It became a full house ever since Yuki convinced everyone to enter it. Even though Kyou is not having a good time, everyone is making their own sacrifices for the sake of Tohru.

The new clan head looked out of her bedroom window and saw the Sohmas happily adapting to their old environment. She was the one taken in before. They took care of her. They understood her. She was happy to be with them.

Now again, they took her in, called her as one of their own. They took care of her, understood her. Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears. Their sacrifices should be repaid. Debts should be cleared. And she knew what to do.

"I have to stop this, Akito-san" she whispered to herself. "I can't hurt them anymore. You can't make me."

_Why not? _The voice in her dreams has spoken to her conscious mind. _You control them. You're the clan head now. Remember your promise, Honda Tohru-san. _

"I can't do it. This is too much. Why are you testing me?"

_This is not a test. The consequences of this… choice would lead to something you wouldn't want them to know, right?_

"I can't see them worry." She cried between tears. She cupped her face and tried to wipe her tears away. "I.. I can't make this happen. I can't…"

_Then you are pathetic._

"Rather than hurting them more."

_They wouldn't let you anyway._

"Then I will not tell them." She nodded to herself. She got up and went to the home phone. She dialed a number, placed the headset near her ear and cleared her voice to make it sound cheerful. "Hello?"

"H-Honda-san? Wow, it has been a long time. Wait, I've heard that you're sick. Are you--"

"I'm fine Uo-san. Could you… help me with something?"

"Sure, anything would be fine. What do you have in mind?"

* * *

Hatori bursted inside Yuki's room. "Where's Tohru?"

"She went out her friends." He mumbled. Yuki was reading some books to keep him occupied. He seems to be serious about it, but he didn't notice the man beside him who wore a more serious face than him.

"She went OUT? Do you even know how frail her condition is and you just let her OUT?" The doctor almost yelled.

"I reminded Uo-san about Tohru's condition, and she said that she's all in control."

"Are you entrusting her life with… other people!"

Yuki let go of the book and stared at Hatori. He remained with his calm composure. "Since when do we lock Tohru inside the house?"

"Since she's the new clan head. Why do we even argue about this?" he snarled. "I'm going to find her. And soon enough, you will too." He stomped his way out of the room.

Hours later, Tohru was not home yet. Evry Sohma, excluding Hatori, assembled at the living room.

"Where is she again?" Kagura asked.

"She's with Uotani." Momiji replied. "Which is weird, she should have called already."

This kind of conversation worries Yuki even more. "I have to find her."

As he reached his coat, the doorbell rang, and everyone grew silent.

"I'll get that." Haru went out.

"Well that saves time." Yuki mumbled. _I hope it is Tohru_.

Haru went back inside with another woman. And she was not Tohru than everyone was hoping for. It was Hana.

"What are you doing here?" Yuki asked.

Hana scanned the room and eyed at each one of them. "Um, Hana, we're not killers." Kagura said.

"Strange… frequency…in this room… with you people…"

"Ok, get to the point." Haru snapped. "Where's Tohru?"

"Before anything else," Hana went over to Yuki and handed him a tape. "you need to watch this."

"But where is--"

"YOU – NEED – TO – WATCH – THIS. " Hana repeated. "Tohru-san requested it."

_She did?_

* * *

Everybody sat around near the TV as Yuki played the tape.

It started with Tohru sitting on a chair holding puppets in front of the camera. "Uo-san, hold it still, ok?" She asked.

"Um, Tohru, it's already on."

"O-Oh really? I'm so sorry…" Tohru panicked. "I thought…"

"Are you ready? Maybe should I turn it off---"

"No I have to do this."

"This sounds like Tohru." Haru whispered at Yuki.

"Quiet." Kagura mumbled.

A background sound was played and Tohru in the video smiled. "Hello everyone. There's something I need to say. I know this is the silliest idea that I could come up but…" she hesitated for a while then continued, "I couldn't say it in front of you all."

"That doesn't sound like her…" Kagura whispered to Yuki.

She held up her sock puppets, which surprisingly were a cat and a mouse puppet, and smiled again. "Do you know about the story about the Jyunishii?"

The cat puppet started moving. "Yes of course, but why wouldn't you ask that mouse? He's the one who started the legend in the first place!"

"What are you talking about?" the mouse asked.

"Now, now." Tohru giggled. "Let's not get carried along."

"Wow, I like her doing this." Kisa went closer to the TV. Hiro rolled his eyes but went near beside Kisa.

"You tricked me about going to the banquet late! I should have came early with all the animals." Tohru made a snarling cat sound to show that the cat is angry.

"Well, you ARE definitely the DUMBEST animal on earth." The mouse laughed.

"I hope she didn't mean that." Kyou mumbled.

"Well, I do hope you know what happened next." Tohru nodded. Everyone, including the puppets were silent. Yuki wondered for a while. _There's a next to the Jyunishii story?_

"Next?" The mouse puppet replied.

"Yes… Oh don't tell me you haven't heard of the reverse?"

"That's folktale!" The cat puppet spoke once more. "A legend that can reverse the Jyunishii curse because of love. But only the _cat_ can be saved!"

"Hmph. Pathetic." The mouse puppet crossed its paws. Tohru seems to have fun doing this, but the whole Sohma cousin were staring at the TV set to catch every word she says.

"She knew the folktale?" Kagura asked.

"Maybe Akito told her." Yuki replied.

"Yes that's true. But it all started after the _CAT_," she emphasized it while staring at the cat puppet (which also gave Kyou the shivers), "realizes that he was tricked. He then started to curse everyone about his failure."

"He started to live in solitude. He closed his heart to everyone who comes near. He let out the vicious part of himself. He chose to do that. And he also chose to stay away from the chose Jyunishii."

"But the truth is, he IS part of the Jyunishii."

"I am?" Kyou and the cat puppet said at the same time.

"Yes. You are. You're just the one who assumed that you are not part of the great circle. You didn't know," Tohru lowered her voice. "you play the special part of the Jyunishii. Without you, the curse will be forever permanent."

"Curse? SO that means the folktale is true!" the mouse puppet asked. Even Yuki would like to ask the same question. "It can be reversed?"

"Yes it can. As long as the cat accepted himself and opened his heart. Then the curse can be lifted."

"So you're the reason why we're like this!" The mouse puppet started punching the cat puppet. This made Kisa laugh for a while, until Tohru broke the fight.

"No no no! Stop!" Tohru separated the two puppets and stared at the mouse puppet. " He's the cure of the curse, not the source."

"So who started it?" The cat asked.

Tohru paused for a moment. Yuki saw pain in her face. But she shrugged it off and almost whispered to the puppet. "They say something happens if you BELIEVE that it WOULD happen. It just so happens that this tale about the curse was so believed at that parents had a phobia that their children would obtain such curse."

"Hmm, interesting. SO what do they do to them?" The mouse puppet asked.

"Well, like the cat, they are secluded away from the normal people. They treated him as a cursed being that once they touch him, they would be cursed as well. Since they treated hum this way, the gods chosen him as the bearer of the curse."

"Him? So he's recognizable?" The cat puppet asked.

"Yup, _He_ is."

"I have a gut feeling about this." Kyou muttered. Even Yuki felt the same feeling. _I think I can guess._

"Who is he?" The mouse puppet asked. _It's too obvious. It could be possible._ Yuki thought. _But it can't be…_

"Ever heard of Akito Sohma?"

There was a loud gasp in the room. The camera that Uo was holding shook on purpose. Even Tohru made a gasp for the two puppets. This time, Kisa backed away from the TV. "I don't like this story."

"WHAT!" Kyou yelled.

"Akito…the bearer of the curse?" Yuki asked.

"Where did you get this information?" the mouse asked Tohru.

"He himself told me." Tohru nodded. She was silent for a moment, then started giggling as she took off the puppets in her hands. "This is stupid."

"Tohru? Am I going to cut it?"

"No Uo-san, I have to tell them myself."

All of the Sohmas held their breaths as Tohru faced the camera. Her face was serious now. "Akito-san didn't tell you about this because he believes that this… can help him overpower you. That's why all of you feared him. Even his parents feared him that they let him be the clan head. You respected him and pay him due honor… until I came."

"He believed that because of me, he also could be liberated from his pain. That's why he asked me over. He told me everything. Because of that he was released from the curse. He never felt happier in his life because of that."

"But how…" Kyou asked.

"Baka neko, are you fully aware that you're talking to the TV?" Haru asked him mockingly.

"Hey, nobody calls me that except that damn nezumi!" He glared at Yuki, but he was too serious about what Tohru has been saying.

"You're probably wondering how he did it. To tell you the truth… he convinced me to take the burden. My sorrows were the seeds of the curse. That is how it was transferred." Tohru chuckled. "It's like magic. But once I awoke on Akito's futon, I felt… tired…and weak."

Yuki shook his head. _This is not true. It can't be. It's all a lie._

"That's why I'm sick. And there's another thing that you should know." Tohru face looked paler now. Her eyes were almost filled with tears. "Akito didn't die because he's sick. It's because of the cure. **_No one must know about the reverse_.** Strictly, or his or her life would be taken as a sacrifice."

"Akito has been brutal to you because he wanted to spare his life. But now, I'm not making the same decision." Tohru nodded to herself.

"NO!" Yuki yelled. _Then that means Tohru is going to…_

"I'm sorry. But I want to free all of you… even myself…" she cried in front of the camera. "This curse… holds you back from the world… You shouldn't… You musn't…"

Tohru's eyes were slowly closing. "I can't… let you…" Tohru fainted from her chair. Everyone started to jump up from their seats.

"Tohru!" Yuki and Kyou shouted.

The camera visibly shook and dropped from Uo's hands. "Tohru? TOHRU?" Uo's voice was heard. A woman sat beside Tohru, who was unconscious from the floor. "TOHRU! Wake UP!" Then the camera went dead.

* * *

Yuki hurried faced Hana and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Where is she!" he yelled.

"She's in the hospital…" Hana replied silently. "… in critical condition."

The main house phone rang ang Kagura picked it up. "Hello? Hatori! Listen we got this tape and Tohru---"

"Is right in front of me now." Hatori cut off her sentence as he spoke from the other end of the line. "Tell Yuki to come over, quick!"

* * *

_Wow, I like. I don't know. This is my first story and it will end up as a tragedy? Wow! _

_Next chapter would be the ending… hopefully._


	17. final goodbye

_I want to end this NOW!_

* * *

Time indeed flew so fast.

Everyone sat outside Tohru room in the hospital until Hatori will tell them to come in. _I need to make sure of something first. And no, no one can touch her because we're free from the curse._

"_We are?" Kisa asked._

"_Yes Kisa." _

"_Did you know about this?" Yuki glared at him._

"_Yes, only because it's a folklore. But seeing Tohru like this already convinced me that Akito was up to something. So I searched his files and found the book written by our ancestors. Indeed…" Hatori nodded. "It is true."_

"_Is there any way we could save her!" Kyou asked the doctor angrily._

"… _even I have no power to save her."_

* * *

Hatori made a casual peak outside Tohru's room. "You can all come in, BUT QUIETLY." He reminded calmly but firmly. One by one they enter, and they saw Tohru lying on the hospital bed. She stirred in her sleep, and Kisa started sobbing.

"She hasn't said anything yet and you're crying already?" Hiro asked.

"I don't know… It's just the thought of it…" She stopped to lean on Hiro's shoulder.

Tohru's eyes started to blink and gazed upon the people around her. She smiled, "Full House." She whispered.

Yuki could still see the pain that she's feeling carved on her face. Her eyes could tell that she's weak. Even her smile now takes an effort.

"Does this bother you?" Hatori asked.

"No, not at all." She shook her head.

"Tohru, we would like to apologize…" Kagura started but stopped when Tohru held up her hand.

"The guilt is mine. I should be the one who's sorry." Tohru confessed. "I… had frequent visits from Akito without all of you knowing. He kept on reminding me about the reverse. I don't know what it exactly means, but now I know. I should have told you."

"Do not blame yourself anymore." Kyou said. "It's NEVER your fault."

"I wish I could say that, but I was wrong… again." She chuckled weakly.

"Do you need some rest, Tohru-chan?" Hatori asked.

"Yes… But I need to talk to Kyou first."

Yuki winced when he heard Kyou's name called by Tohru. Kyou stepped forward to her side while the rest started leaving. Yuki couldn't move from his place, but a pat made him move.

"They need privacy." Hatori whispered. "Don't worry, they're just friends."

Yuki slowly nodded. _I do hope they would talk about something friendly._

* * *

"You asked me?" Kyou asked.

"Kyou-kun…" She smiled. "So now you know that you're special."

"Yeah." He smiled. "I thought I was the bad one for years. I even thought that my… curse form was a punishment for me."

Tohru smiled even wider. "Seems like you're happy because of it."

Kyou suddenly stopped rejoicing and stared at Tohru, the one that he had loved. "Yes, and it's all because of… you."

Tohru felt her head twitch for a moment. "Me?"

"You gave me the strength to love and to accept. You and your innocent smile made me realize that there is a better world that awaits me. You made me happy, Tohru… and I love you."

That sudden declaration made Tohru stop for a moment and smiled again at Kyou. "Kyou… you made a mistake---"

"This time, it's for real." Kyou stopped to take a deep breath. "I think… I've fallen in love with you."

Tohru stared at him for a while to search the sense of prank in his eyes. But there wasn't any. She sighed. "Then… she would be… unhappy without you…"

"What?"

"Kyou, I'm not the reason why… you learned to love, why you learned to open your eyes to a new world." Tohru said. "The person who helped you is… Kagura. SHE was there for you in anyway you can. "

Kyou thought for a while. This isn't right. He didn't love Kagura. He loved Tohru. He loved her because she was there for him. He loved her because she made him happy.

But Kagura was there ever since he was a kid. She welcomed him to play. Even though she's aware of the cursed form of the cat, she still played with him. She stayed by his side. She understood him.

"She bugs me."

"But instead of ignoring her, you say bad things about her. Still, she didn't give up on you." Tohru explained. "Her perseverance and understanding sets you free from the curse from the very beginning. Her presence made you special."

"But I don't love her." Kyou insisted.

"I know. But her love was so powerful, that you yourself is confused for this matter." She explained. "And besides, it's all in the legend. Your own kind has saved you."

_Well, that may explain something. _"A Sohma saved me?"

"Not only a Sohma. The Legend specifies Kagura herself. As a _tiger._" Tohru nodded. "She knows her place. You should know yours."

_Kagura is the tiger, and I'm a cat. We're meant to be together. My own kind saved me._ "But… how will I get over this?"

"I advice you to return her thanks. This is not a debt, Kyou-kun. It's a voluntary action. I know you would understand." She sighed.

"… well, I guess, this is goodbye… is it?" Kyou asked.

Tohru shook her head. "No. You're always here in me. And you even left a special mark in me. And I will always remember that Kyou-kun. Always."

Kyou was stunned that she remembered the permanent mark that he left for her. She kept it and she smiled at him. "Could… I at least hug you for one last time?"

She though for a moment and opened her arms. "You're always welcome to me, Kyou."

Kyou got up in the bed and hugged her tightly. In the middle of letting go, he cried on her shoulder.

_I will never forget you, Honda Tohru. You made me feel alive._

* * *

"You called?" Yuki went inside. Finally he called her in. After speaking to all of the Sohmas, he's the last one.

Tohru glanced at the door and smiled at her prince. He still looked handsomely at her. Even now she's on the hospital bed dying, his look towards her hasn't changed. The same Yuki Sohma that welcomed her at his home. This time, he looked tired.

"Yuki, haven't you slept?"

"I have… I just…."

"I worry you too much." She said.

"No. I worry more about Haru. Whenever he goes to pee, he ends up in the emergency room." He laughed. "I doubt that he would change."

"He will." Tohru nodded. "I always prayed for that."

"Really?" Yuki leaned towards her in the bedside. "So… what else did you prayed about?"

"That you would understand me."

Yuki looked up to her. "When did I misunderstood you?"

"Now." She smiled. "About… this."

"About what?"

Tohru paused for a moment to cough. Yuki winced to see her in pain. And she could see it in his eyes. "I don't think you're ready to let me go."

"You're not going to die." Yuki said firmly. "I will do everything in my power to keep you alive."

"Hatori said--"

"Forget about what Hatori said. I want HERE!" He almost yelled at her.

"That's why I've always prayed for you Yuki." She said calmly. "You were born to keep what is yours. Now I have to teach you to let go."

"I don't want to see you suffer."

She smiled. "My temporary suffering is the start of your everlasting happiness. Look, even Kisa is happy to be free." She held his hand tightly. "Sometimes, you have to let things go for the cause of others. It's not always the best way, but it make me happy."

"Why do you always have to do this?"

"Because I know I can do it." She nodded. Tohru's eyes gazed at Yuki's. "Please understand. You have a better life ahead. I don't want to be like Akito locking you all up in the darkness. There's more of life than this. I know you know. You're just denying."

Yuki stopped to stare at her. He knew this would be the last conversation with his love. He still wanted to ask for more days with her. But Hatori said that her heart was failing her, and there's nothing the doctors can do.

She was right, there was more of life than this. Still, Yuki was not convinced. "But what is a life without you?"

Tohru smiled, leaned towards him to give a kiss. Yuki accepted it fully, giving her back his own. When they break apart, her eyes were filled with tears, but her smile pushed back her sadness.

"A normal and free life." She said.

* * *

EPILOGUE:

Yuki Sohma, heir of a million dollar corporation in Japan, knelt down beside a grave. He offered a bouquet at the said of the love of his life, the one who risked her life to save him and everyone else. He indeed, had a very happy life. But still, he hoped she was there.

"Papa?" A small voice called behind him. A young boy, who looked like a small Yuki, went towards him. "Mama is looking for you."

"Tell her I'll be there in a moment."  
The young boy looked at the grave. "H-Hoooonda…T-Toooohruuu? Who's that?"

Yuki chuckled at his son's question. "The woman who saved me."

"From what?"

Yuki didn't answer. According to Hatori, the Jyunishii curse was vowed remain as a legend, and should be spoken to no one since Tohru's death. His son was still waiting for the answer.

"Because of her, I've learned more about myself. She took care of me, and she always there for me."

"Really? Like an angel."

Yuki glanced at his son. So innocent. _Just like you. _"Yes of course… and angel." He held his son in his arms, stared at the grave and left. _I thank you… for giving me a part of you… for giving me a son._

_Wish you were here_

_--Yuki Sohma_

* * *

_FINALLY IT'S DONE! SORRY IF I ENDED IT LIKE… THAT. BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST STORY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! Anyway, I wanted a better ending though. Now you know why it's tragic. But I tried to make it look good._


End file.
